Rev. S. J. Whitmee on Samoan Birds. 437 



many years ; but they never succeed in keeping the Cori- ■ 

 philus alive more tlian a few weeks. 



3. EuDYNAMis TAiTiENSis (Sparrm.), Aleva. 



This Cuckoo is, apparently, less abundant in Samoa than 

 it is in many of the Polynesian islands. It is difficult to ob- 

 tain here. I have never seen a living example, and have not 

 succeeded in obtaining its eggs, or in learning any thing about 

 them from natives. The bird is chiefly known to the Sa- 

 moans as an example of arrant cowardice, owing to the fact 

 that, when seen, it is almost always chased by a number of 

 Jaos {Ptilotis carunculata) , from which it tries to escape in 

 the most precipitate manner. I scarcely ever hear the name 

 of the Aleva mentioned by a native without some such remark 

 as this : " The big bu'd that is chased by the little Jao ! " 



4. Halcyon pealii, Finsch & Hartl. Tiotala. 



Found on Tutuila only. I know nothing of its habits, ex- 

 cept that it is a very noisy bird, somewhat resembling in that 

 respect the Laughing Elingfisher {Dacelo gigantea, Lath.) of 

 Austraha. 



5. Halcyon recurvirostris, Lafr. Tiotala. 



Found on Upolu and Savaii. Very common. A noisy 

 bird, with a loud saw-sharpening kind of note, but less noisy 

 than its Tutuila congener. It forms its nest by pecking a 

 hole in the nest of the Termes arborum. It ajjpears to lay 

 only two eggs. 



6. CoLLOCALiA SPODIOPYGIA, Pcalc. P(^ape' a = Pehapeha. 

 This Cave-Swallow is found all over the islands, but is not 



often seen except in certain localities. On the 25th November 

 last I visited a cave where it was plentiful. I found a num- 

 ber of nests, all built entirely of moss. Every recent nest 

 had one young bii'd in it. In no instance could I find an 

 unhatched egg. The young were mostly unfledged. From 

 the number in the same stage of growth, and the absence of 

 eggs, I fancy these Swallows must breed very uniformly as 

 to time. As I found one young bird in every nest, I conclude 

 that they lay only one egg. 



