102 



Merula erythropleura, Sharpe. 

 (Plate V. figs. 14 & 15.) 



Tardus erythropleurus, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1887, p. 615. 



Merula erythropleura, Lister, P. Z. S. 1888, p. 517 ; Sharpe in Andrews's 



Mon. Christmas Island, p. 49 (1900) ; id. in Seebohm's Mon. Turdidce, 



ii. p. 173 (1902) ; id. Hand-}, iv. p. 121 (1903). 



Like M. nigrorum, the Christmas-Island Ouzel appears to lay 

 only two eggs in a clutch. The two sets in the Collection are of 

 different types. The eggs of one are of a blunt oval form and of a 

 pale bright bluish colour, spotted and blotched with rich dark 

 purple-brown, the markings forming a large cap at the broad end. 

 Those of the second clutch are of an elongated oval form and of 

 a rather darker blue colour, evenly mottled and blotched all 

 over, without any indication of a cap at the broad end, with 

 dull rufous brown. All are moderately glossy. They measure 

 respectively : 1-08 by -80 ; 1-10 by '79 ; 1*10 by -80 ; and 1-14 

 by -78. 



2. Christmas Island, Indian Ocean, Sir John Murray [P.]. 

 25th Dec. (C. W. Andrews). 



2. Christmas Island, 28th Dec. ' Sir John Murray [P.]. 



(C. W.A.). 



Merula rufiventer, Vieill. 



Tardus rufiventer, Seebohm, Cat, Birds B. M. r. p. 222 (1881); Sharpe 

 in Seebohm's Mon. Turdidce, i. p. 291 (1899) ; Nehrk. Kat. 

 Eiersamml. p. 37 (1899). 



Turdus rufiventrfs, Scl. # Suds. Argent. Orn. i. p. 3 (1888). 



Merula rufiventer, Sharpe, Hand-l. iv. p. 121 (1903). 



It would appear, if the specimens in the Museum are correctly 

 named, that there are two types of the eggs of the E.ufous-bellied 

 Ouzel. Those of the first type are of a broad, blunt, oval form, 

 pale bluish green or greenish, boldly marked with large blotches of 

 rich purplish red or liver-brown and with underlying patches of 

 lavender-grey or pale purple, more thickly at the larger end. In 

 the second type the eggs are larger and of a more regular oval form, 

 somewhat blunted ; they have a greyish or pale stone ground-colour, 

 rather thickly spotted, streaked and blotched, with reddish brown, 

 fairly eveuly over the whole surface, though perhaps somewhat 

 more heavily at the broad end. The eggs of the first type measure 

 respectively 1-02 x 82 ; 1-07 X '85 ; and 1 -01 x "81. those of the 

 second type 1-2 x -86 ; 1-13 x -88 ; and 1-12 X -84. 



3. Argentine Republic. Crowley Bequest. 



3. S. America. \V. Kadcliffe Saunders, Esq. 



[P.]. 



