Chap. xii. PERIOPHTHALMUS. 



255 



separated from the shore of the island by a band of water, 

 which had a sh'ghtly yellowish tinge, caused by its shallowness 

 and the colour of the coral-built bottom. 



The vegetation of Matuku is very different from that of 

 Tongatabu, though no doubt much like that of Eua. Ferns 

 are numerous instead of scanty, and amongst them a beautiful 

 climbing species {Lviiodiiun reticulation) is abundant. I saw 

 but few Casuarinas. In the woods the trees are almost hidden 

 by a network of convolvulus. 



The most conspicuous trees, except the Screw-pines and 

 Cocoa-nut palms, at the time of our visit were those of a species 

 of Eryt/irina* which was in full scarlet blossom. On the 

 honey of the flowers of this tree a most beautiful Lory {Doinicella 

 solitaria) was feeding, and with it some little Honey-birds 

 {Myzomela jugiilaris). The I.ory is one of the most beautiful 

 little parrots existing, showing a splendid contrast of the richest 

 colours, jet black, red, and green. It is peculiar to the Fiji 

 Islands. It flies in flocks, and hence the term " solitaria " 

 might lead to an erroneous impression. 



A swallow {Hirundo tahitica) was flying about in considerable 

 numbers, at the summit of the peak. 



Hopping about on the mud, beneath the mangroves on the 

 shore, was the extraordinary fish, Periophthalinus, at which I 

 had often been astonished in Ceylon. This little fish skips 

 along on the surface of the water, by a series of jumps, of the 

 distance of as much as a foot, with great rapidity, and prefers 

 escaping in this way to swimming beneath the surface. I have 

 chased one in Trincomali Harbour, which skipped thus before 

 me until it reached a rock, where it sat on a ledge out of the 

 water in the sun, and waited till I came up, when it skipped 

 along to another rock. 



The fish are very nimble on land, and difficult to catch. 

 They use their very muscular pectoral fins to spring with, and 

 when resting on shore the fore part of their body is raised and 

 supported on these. There seems to be no figure of this very 

 remarkable fish which shows it at all in the attitude which it 

 assumes when alive. The accompanying woodcut has been 

 drawn from a specimen kindly lent to me by Dr. Giinther, and 

 I have put the fish as nearly in the natural position which it 

 assumes when on land, as I can from memory. 



The eyes of the fish, which is one of the Gobies, are remark- 

 ably prominent, projecting directly upwards from the skull. 

 The fish in mangrove swamps often sits on the lower branches 



* Erythrina indica. The "Araba" flowers in August, the time to plant 

 yams ; hence the flowering of this tree is the basis of the Fijian Calendar. 

 Seemann, " Flora Vitiensis." 



