_ V — 



Melano -Polynesia, consisting of New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands, New Hebrides, Banks' and 

 Santa Cruz Islands , forms an intimately connected division in itself with links of relationship extending in so 

 many directions to other subregions that it is questionable if it should be retained in Polynesia. The peculiar 

 genera are six: Nymphicus, Megalurulus, Pliysocorax, Drepanoptila, Phaenorhina, Rhinochetus. 

 Only one Polynesian genus, Leptornis, which also belongs to Fiji and Samoa, is found in addition to the 

 almost entirely Polynesian form, Aplonis. The last-named is also found on the islands of the New Zealand 

 subregion, Norfolk and Lord Howe; and further links in this direction may be seen in Cyanorhamphus of 

 New Zealand and Eastern Polynesia, and in Symmorphus, which only occurs, outside the territory now under 

 consideration, on Norfolk Island. Two genera, Charmosyna (also found in Fiji) and Eclectus (New 

 Caledonia?) are characteristic of Papuasia; Eopsaltria, of Australia. In addition to these there are 40 

 more or less widely spread genera (exclusive of sea-birds) connecting the division in question with Polynesia 

 on the one hand and with the other Australasian subregions, Indo-Malaya, etc., on tie other; while 17—18 

 more serve to bind it to Australia and Austro- Malaya without passing into Polynesia on the other side. It 

 will thus be seen that the district, which we have called Melano-Polynesia, occupies a very uncertain position, 

 having relationships on all sides with the subregions between which it lie.^. It appears to have served as a 

 half-way resting-place, so to say, for many species descending into it from Papuasia by way of the Solomon 

 Islands or crossing directly to it from Australia, individuals of which species, having afterwards become crowded 

 out of their narrow quarters by reason of a too great fertility, found their way to Central Polynesia, 

 Norfolk Island, etc., to become developed into new forms. Here may be mentioned the remarkable preventative 

 of a too rapid multiplication of birds in the Pacific islands; namely, that so many of the Passeres lay only \^ 

 one egg, a fiict which I shall hope to treat of in a special paper. 



Melano-Polynesia is, therefore, to be included in Polynesia only as an intermediate station, aland 

 of transition whence most of the Australian and Papuan genera of the South Sea Islands have probably been 

 derived. The number of species now known is 158 — 166, of which 87 — 90 are peculiar to the division. New 

 Caledonia has 110, with 2.3 — 25 autochthonous; the Loyalty Islands 53, 11 autochthonous: the New Hebrides 

 73, 28 — 30 autochthonous ; 8 are known from the Santa Cruz Islands of which 2 —4 are confined to them, 

 and 4, 2 peculiar, from the Banks' Islands. 6 species arc confined to New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands and 

 New Hebrides; 3 to New Caledonia and the New Hebrides; 9 to New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands; 

 2 to the latter and the New Ilebiides; 2 to the New Hebrides and Banks' Is.; 1 to the New Hebrides and 

 Santa Cruz, and one, Ptilopus greyi, to the whole division. No peculiar species connect the Sta Cruz 

 Islands with the Solomon Islands (except, perhaps, Halcyon juliae, which is common to the Solomon Islands 

 and the New Hebrides), but one serves as a link between them and Fiji. Cacomantis sinius is common to 

 the New Hebrides and Fiji. Altogether about 91 genera are represented in Melano-Polynesia. 



In Central Polynesia 149 — 155 species and subspecies belonging to 70 genera are known. Peculiar 

 to this division are 91 — 93 species and subspecies and 9 genera, viz.: Pyrrhulopsis, Muscylva, 

 Pinarolestes, Lamprolia, Drymochaera, Trichocichla, Chrysoena, Pareudiastes and Didunculus. 

 The species are distributed as follows: Fiji, with Rotumah and Fotuna, 117 — 121; Tonga, with Niuafou, 42 — 49; 

 Samoa, with Uea, 55—57; Savage Island 4 — 5. Autochthonous species: Fiji, 59; Tonga. 4; Samoa, 15-16; 

 Savage Id., 2 — 3. Eight species which are peculiar to two or all three of the island groups, and the presence 

 of numerous subspecies, serve to establish the unity of this division in itself; while Coriphilus, Todiramphus 

 and Leptornis are Polynesian forms which connect it with other divisions. The islands are, for the most 

 part, of volcanic origin and mountainous. Others are (>f raised coral. 



The groups which have been designated Eastern Polynesia possess only two peculiar genera, 

 ( Pinaroloxias and Serresius, but, at the same time, are connected with other quarters by the Polynesian 

 forms Coriphilus, Todiramphus and Tataro. Other striking species are Pomarea nigra and 

 Monarcha dimidiata, the latter of which has been placed by Dr. Sharpe in the genus (Jhasiempis of 

 the Sandwich Islands, The number of species as yet recorded from this division is 82 — 87 belonging to 

 about 43 genera. Forty one species, including a doubtful one, are peculiar. For the several groups the 

 numbers run as follows: Hervcy Islands, 15, with 3 or 4 peculiar; Austral Island, 1 or 2, 1 peculiar; Society 

 Islands 40— 42, 14; Paumotu Islands, 25, 5; Marquesas Islands, 31, 7; Penrhyn Islands, 1, 0; Fanning Group, 

 28, 3 or 4. Four species are peculiar to the Society and Manjuesas Islands; two to the former and the Paumotu 

 Islands. The remote Fanning Group is connected with this division by means of a species of Phegornis, 

 — the only South American genus that has found its way into Polynesia, — P. cancellatus, which i.i 



