Letters from the Pacific. ]05 



the Gilberts^ as also on the Marslialls and in Ponape, and 

 which seems to migrate over the whole of the Pacific islands, 

 having been recorded westward as far as the Pelews. 



A very lovely member of the avifauna of Kushai is the 

 little Swiftlet mentioned by Kittlitz as Cypselus inquietus, 

 and called by Streubel Cypselus ualensis, which is generally 

 to be seen in small nmiibers or singly in the early morn- 

 ing or late in the evening, before sunset. This little bird 

 resembles in its mode of flight our Swift^ but unites to it 

 some Swallow-like habits^ as it hovers about the tops of the 

 trees or over the surface of the quiet lagoons. On shooting 

 some specimens I found them to belong to Callocalia vani- 

 corensis (Quoy & Gaim.), a species distributed over the whole 

 Western Pacific, ranging westward to the Pelews and north- 

 ward to Guam (Mariannes). Amongst the congeneric species 

 this one is distinguished by its uniform smoky black garb, 

 the rump being of the same colour as the other parts. Hunt- 

 ing on the island of Lalla is very difficult, as there are so 

 many stone walls of both modern and ancient times. Amongst 

 the latter are some most remarkable cyclopean buildings, the 

 architects of which are totally unknown, even to the present 

 native generation. We stopped for about four days in Lalla 

 harbour, and made several excursions up a little river, but 

 were unable to enter the virgin woods, on account of the 

 density of the trees and the undergrowth. It would require 

 many hands to cut out a pathway ; and even then it would be 

 impossible to advance, on account of the deep mud which covers 

 the level ground. For this reason I was unable to obtain 

 specimens of the small Fruit-Pigeons {Ptilopus) of the island : 

 although their call was frequently heard, yet nobody could 

 penetrate to their roosting-places. 



Besides the birds already menfioned, I observed in Lalla 

 harbour Anous stolidus breeding in the parasitic fern-clusters 

 on the branches of high trees, also Gijgis alba, which breeds in 

 the trees, and Phaeton flavirostris, which resorts to the woods 

 higher up the mountains. I need hardly say that Charadrivs 

 fulvus, Strepsilas interpres, Actitis incana, and Ardea sacra 

 were common everywhere ; for they are as inseparable bird- 



