250 H. B. Tristram on a Collection of 



has dimmed the lustre of their plumage. Three of the speci- 

 mens exactly agree with my own and with those I have ex- 

 amined at Leiden and in the British Museum, in having the 

 underparts spotted and mottled, as well as the broad patch on 

 the inner webs of the tail-feathers. But these spots and 

 patches are (I presume, from the effects of the spirit) ochreous 

 yellow instead of white. In all these specimens the light 

 colour varies much in extent. In one the throat, cheeks, and 

 ear-coverts are buff, and the whole breast and abdomen are 

 spotted with buff, excepting a broad belt of dark blue across 

 the breast. In the second specimen this belt is much broader ; 

 in the third the throat, cheeks, and ear-coverts only are 

 spotted, and the under surface is dark blue, excepting the 

 abdomen, which is spotted. The fourth specimen, evidently 

 a very adult bird, has the whole under surface dark blue, 

 without a vestige of white or buff, excepting on the rectrices, 

 the inner webs of which, except the outer pair, are light- 

 coloured. The flanks are of a lighter and brighter blue, like 

 the wings. I cannot find that any specimen has been yet 

 recorded in this evidently adult state of plumage. 



I have assumed that the buff would, in a natural state, be 

 white ; yet it is curious that various other white or partially 

 white-coloured birds in the same jar, as Pomarea and Gygis, 

 have not been in the slightest degree affected by the spirit. 

 It may be that these aberrant birds belong to a distinct species 

 from some particular island. Unfortunately, my correspondent 

 has sailed for Europe, and I have not been able to ascertain 

 on which island of the group the collection was made. 



2. Tatare longirostris (Gm.). 



The two adult specimens of this bird are identical with 

 specimens in my collection from Tahiti and Huaheine. There 

 are also two very interesting specimens, nestlings in the first 

 plumage, in different stages, but both having lost all traces 

 of the down. They show a remarkable contrast to the 

 early plumage of the Sylviida?, being in coloration and mark- 

 ings precisely similar to the adult ; in fact, at first sight, they 

 might pass for a pygmy species. 



