172 Letters, Extracts, Announcements, ^c. 



tail 5*5^ tarse 1"25, bill 1. It is throughout of a uniform 

 cinereous colour, darkest on the wing- and tail-feathers. Vent, 

 under tail-coverts, inner wing-coverts, small patch on the 

 side, under the wing, and edge of shoulder deep cinnamon. 

 Iris red-brown ; bill, legs, and feet black. Stomach contained 

 berries of the banian, swallowed whole, no insect-remains 

 whatever. 



Our next prize is the nest and eggs of the Greca Dove 

 {Drepanoptila holosericea) , found by L. L. in the high 

 ranges near the " Cardinal's Hat " mountain, not far from 

 Noumea. The nest, a pretty thick structure of small sticks, 

 was placed in a lowish tree, on a tangled mass of creepers ; 

 we could look right down on to it from the path along the 

 steep mountain-side. The eggs, two in number, are of a pale 

 nankeen-white (not a. pure white), and similar at both ends. 



A young friend who collected for us some time since 

 round Noumea, informs us that lately, while in the mountain 

 ranges near Moindu, he saw a small green Parrakeet in some 

 numbers; he describes it as not unlike Trichoglossus pal- 

 marum in size and colour. This must be an unrecognized 

 species to the New-Caledonian list. 



Though neither New-Caledonian nor New-Hebridean, we 

 take this opportunity of adding a little information on Nor- 

 folk-Island birds that has come to hand. 



From our kind correspondent there we have received the 

 eggs of Merula poliocephala, which much resemble some 

 forms of the European species, being of a greenish white, pro- 

 fusely speckled and blotched throughout with reddish brown 

 and faint purple markings. Axis 14 lines, diameter 10. 

 The nest, also sent, is identical with that of the European 

 bird, being formed of rootlets, bents of dried grasses, dried 

 leaves, and such like ; there is no special lining ; interior 

 diameter 5 inches, depth 2. From the label on the box it 

 appears to have been found in a cave. 



My kind friend also sends eggs of '' the Kingfisher " and 

 the " Whale-bird,^" but without the parent birds. The 

 former are, with the exception of being white, unlike those 

 of any other Kingfisher with which we are acquainted. The 



