Birds of the Fiji Islands. 151 



Erythrura pealei, Hartl. 



This exquisite little Finch, instead of being, like other 

 members of his family, an inhabitant of the open country, 

 feeding on grass-seeds, is a dweller in the dense forest, fre- 

 quenting the high trees and living on berries, such as the 

 Orange Dove eats. I am nove quite certain that the Finch 

 I saw at Nandranga and Naudi, on the coast of Viti Levu, 

 living in flocks in the deserted fields, was not this species, but 

 another, probably Amadiiia optata, F. & H. I distinctly saw 

 the red rump ; and the ciy was quite that oi Amadina, and di- 

 stinct from that of Erythrura. The latter never goes in flocks ; 

 and we rarely saw them except singly. 



Merula vanicorensis, Quoy. 



This bird, though not included in Finsch and HartlauVs 

 catalogue as a Fijian bird, has been sent me from Bua by 

 Mr. Tempest, obtained, at an elevation of over 600 feet, at 

 a place called Kandi. 



Chryscexa victor, Gould. 



This gorgeous Dove is the glory of the forest of Taviuni, 

 and, I now find, is more generally distributed over a certain 

 range of country than I suspected. It certainly is found in 

 Lanthala and Rambi islands, and on Vanua Levu, about Bua, 

 Ndreketti, &c. ; and this, coupled with the discoveiy of the 

 other species of birds already alluded to in this paper as residing 

 there, seems to point to the fact that at no very distant date 

 (geologically speaking) these islands were joined together, and 

 not, as now, separated by the straits of Somo-Somo. Those 

 of ' The Ibis ' brotherhood who have shot the " Cock of the 

 Rock," can readily picture to themselves the " flame " of the 

 Orange Dove as he pursues some rival through the green 

 forest — the eye fairly dazzled as the orange ball on golden 

 wings turns and twists in the sunlight. DuU days do not 

 suit him a bit, and he hides away and mopes, never uttering 

 a sound ; but with the bright sun he emerges from his retreat, 

 and '^ clucks" to his green wife from many a "cool retreat." 

 The young males never utter this sound, and would be mis- 

 taken for females, but that the vent is more orange. They 



