Birds of Fanning Island. 47 



No. 7, 1877, p. 13. The island lies in lat. 2° 40' N., long. 

 159° 20' W., N.E. of Christmas Island, about 1540 miles N.E. 

 of Tahiti, and about the same distance N.W. of Samoa, and 

 1260 miles due south of the Sandwich Islands. It is thus, 

 with the atolls of Palmyra and Washington, which may be 

 grouped with it, one of the most isolated peaks in Oceania. 

 The birds obtained by Mr. Arundel were : — 



1. CORIPHILUS KUHLI. 



This most exquisitely beautiful Parrakeet is not uncommon 

 here, and was found also on the neighbouring atoll of Wash- 

 ington, but neither on Christmas Island nor anywhere else. 

 Its true habitat was long a mystery ; and Bourjot's specimen 

 in the Paris Museum was the only one which bore the true 

 locality till Dr. Streets discovered it on Washington Island. 

 In the paper above referred to he gives a very interesting 

 account of its habits. Finsch, when he wrote his ' Papa- 

 geien/ was ignorant of its true home ; and very few speci- 

 mens are known. I have for some time possessed one, which 

 I received from Bora-bora ; but it had evidently been a caged 

 bird, as have been most of those received in Europe. 



2. AcROCEPHALus pisTOR, Tristr. 



As I have just described this very remarkable bird in 

 another paper, I need only refer to my previous remarks. 

 Mr. Arundel specially notes that he never saw the bird on 

 any other island. 



Dr. Streets states that a Flycatcher-like bird was obtained 

 on Washington Island, but the specimens were lost ; and also 

 that on Christmas Island he saw a bird " like the Washington 

 Flycatcher-like bird, but smaller, and somewhat browner,^' 

 and that it was the only land-bird there. Mr. Arundel did 

 not obtain either of these. 



-f-3. Charadrius fulvus. 

 In winter plumage. 



-f4. NuMENius FEMORALis, Pcale. 



'5. TOTANUS INCANUS. 



