138 Mr. E. L. Lay art! on some little-known 



for six weeks ; and in the woods at the back of his plantation 

 the accompanying observations were made. My son at the 

 time was up the Rewa river, among the " Kai-tholos/' or 

 mountaineers, in the centre of Viti Levu, on a collecting 

 expedition ; but on receiving my summons, despatched by a 

 special messenger, he hurried down and joined me at Ngila; 

 and we worked together. 



The climate was delightful, the temperature being often 

 as low as 62° Fahr. at night and in the morning, and ordi- 

 narily about 7Q° or 78° by day. A blanket and counterpane 

 were usually acceptable; and we had no mosquitoes. 



The forest about here rises from the back of the plantation 

 in a gradual slope to an altitude of 800 or 1000 feet above 

 the level of the sea. The lower portion has evidently at some 

 time been felled and cultivated, but is now covered with a 

 second growth of timber. This, though of fair size, contained 

 little to interest us — an occasional Rhijndura or Monarcha, 

 and now and then a stray " Orange Dove," in the young or 

 green plumage. As we ascended the range the timber be- 

 came finer, and resounded with the call of my new Pachyce- 

 phala torquata, the new Myiolestes macrorhynchus put in an 

 appearance, young "^ Orange Doves" became more plentiful; 

 and on the flowering trees Ptilotis carunculata and the lovely 

 little Parrot which I have named Trichoglossus aureicinctus 

 hung pendent from the branches of the white blossoms, and 

 chased each other with shrill screams or loud flute-like pipings. 

 Then we gained the highest summits ; and from among the 

 lofty trees that clothed them came the loud booming " bark " 

 of the large fruit-eating "Barking Pigeon" [Carpojjhaga 

 latrans) and the harsh screams of the red-and-green Parrot. 



As we hunted about, an odd chuckling sound, like a coach- 

 man starting his horses, was heard ; and ''Pretty" (the Laconi 

 boy), knowing what we wanted, excitedly whispered ''Manu- 

 manu dum-dum," which is, being interpreted, " the red bird." 

 We dived into the " bush " after the boy, who peered up 

 into the green leaves ; suddenly he stopped, beckoned exci- 

 tedly, whispering " Manu-manu dum-dum, Manu-manu, dum- 

 dum " in a rapid voice, and pointed upwards. We gazed in 



