506 Messrs. E. L. & E. L. C. Layard on the 



nectar of flowers and small insects. We liavc also seen it 

 capturing them on the underside of leaves, and sometimes, 

 though rarely, darting at them on the wing. We suspect it 

 breeds twice a year, or else very early, as we have killed 

 nestlings in June, July, and November, As yet we have not 

 seen the nest or eggs. The native New-Caledonian name 

 of this bird is " Katawania.'^ M. Marie includes G. modesta, 

 Gray, G. poliotis, Gray, and G, incana, Lath., in his list ; but 

 we think these are but synonyms. With the exception of 

 G. modesta {^chlorophcea), M. Marie had not seen them. 



[My large series quite bears out Mr. Layard's remarks on 

 this variable species. — H. B. T.] 



]8, Leptornis aubryanus, Verr, & Des Murs, 

 This is one of the rarest, or, perhaps, we should say, one 

 of the most difficult to obtain, of our native birds, owing to 

 its inhabiting the most secluded and inaccessible mountain- 

 forests. Our observant young friends, the Messieurs Boyer, 

 of Moindou, tell us they only find it at considerable altitudes ; 

 and now that their attention has been specially called to it, 

 they assure us they never visit those mountain-fastnesses 

 without hearing its cry, even if they do not see the bird 

 itself. They say it is generally found on a tree in flower, 

 hanging about the ends of the branches in any position to 

 reach the blossoms. A glance at its curved powerful feet ana 

 claws show how easily it may perform these acrobatic feats. 

 We found large spiders, beetles, and small flies in the stomach 

 of one examined. Another had the throat covered with yellow 

 pollen; this we have also found on Gli/cyphilte and Myzomela, 

 and we doubt not some of the large lofty flowering trees are 

 fertilized by such agency, as insects are very scarce here. 



The coloured figure in plate vi. of Brenchley^s ' Cruise of 

 H.M.S. Cura9oa-' gives a very imperfect idea both of the 

 form and coloration of the naked parts in this curious bird. 

 We give a description of a fine specimen which we had the 

 pleasure of skinning. It was killed by a Pigeon-shooter in 

 the mountains at the Dombea, not far from Noumea, and sold 

 in the market as "^gibier.^^ Our friend M. Saves, to whose 

 attention we had especially brought this bird, luckily saw 

 it exposed for sale and procured it for us. 



