536 Dr. 0. Finsch^s Ornithological 



Of Swifts there is one Collocalia, "which I consider to be 

 identical with C. vanicorensis, and the splendid widely dis- 

 tributed Dendrochelidon mystacea. This I consider to be one 

 of the most elegant beings on wings that one can see any- 

 where. Of Swallows^ of which Mr. Brown got none^ I 

 obtained two species, Hirundo tahitica and another species 

 with a light-coloured rump, undoubtedly identical with an 

 Australian species — I suppose, H. nigricans. 



Of Kingfishers six species are known in this region, of 

 which the magnificent Halcyon albicilla is apparently confined 

 to the Duke-of-York group. What has been named " Halcyon 

 chloris, Eodd./^ will require a closer examination, as the New- 

 Britain bird seems to be different. The same is needed as 

 regards " Eurystomus crassirostris, Scl. ;" for I find that 

 neither the strong bill nor longer tail will stand as characters 

 of specific value. There are only two Nectarinia: here, N. 

 frenata and N. aspasia, both well-known and widely distri- 

 buted species and common birds of the country. The inter- 

 esting Myzomela cineracea, lately described by Dr. Sclater, 

 I got also ; the male has a narrow red line along the chin. 

 Myzomela sclateri, Forbes, seems to be peculiar to Credner 

 Island, while Philemon cockerelli is the most common bird of 

 the woods, living in small flocks, which are always noisy and 

 uttering their melodious short call-notes. Of the new Poe- 

 cilodryas cBthioj)s, Sclater, I got the female and young bird, 

 both quite differently coloured from the male. Is the Pitta 

 indeed the true P. mackloti ? All specimens in New Britain 

 have invariably a blue line on the crown. Of Muscicapine 

 birds Sauloprocta melanoleuca and Monarcha alecto have both 

 peculiar and nice notes ; the fine M, verticalis, Sclater, is 

 confined to the Duke-of-York group. To these must be 

 added a Myiagra apparently near to M. concinna of Australia. 

 Artamus insignis, Scl. (not from New Ireland, as at first 

 stated by Mr. Brown), has been only obtained in Spacious 

 Bay, New Britain, and is unknown the natives in Blanche 

 'Bay. Besides Lalage karu, which is a very common bird, 

 there are two fine Graucali, G. sclateri, Salvad., and G. sub- 

 lineattis. Scl. ; for 1 think the Graucalm papuensis in Dr. 



