MERULA. 97 



Merula samoensis, Tristr. 

 (Plate Y. fig. 12.) 



Merula vanicorensis, Finsch fy HartL Fauna Ccntr.-Polyn. p. 97, tab. i. 



fig. 3 (1867) ; Whitmee, Ibis, 1875, p. 439. 

 Turdus vanicorensis, Nehrk. J.f. O. 1879, p. 405. 

 Merula samoensis, Seebohm, Cat. Birds B. M. v. p. 242 (1881) ; Sharps 



in Seebohm' & Mon. Turdidce, ii. p. 51 (1900) ; Nehrk. Kat. Eiersamml. 



p. 37 (1899) ; Sharps, Hand-l. iv. p. 118 (1903). 



The description of the eggs of the Samoan Black Ouzel, given 

 by Dr. Bowdler Sharpe in Seebohm's ' Monograph of the Turdidse/ 

 vol. ii. p. 51, is so accurate that it is here utilized : " Eggs 

 " collected by Mr. Whitmee are of two types and vary consider- 

 " ably in size. In one form the ground-colour is light bluish 

 " green, thickly spotted and flecked with pale reddish brown, and 

 " faint greyish-brown underlying spots. In the other type the 

 " ground-colour is of a stone-colour or light blue, against which the 

 " pale rufous spots and flecks are more in contrast and show up rather 

 " more plainly than in the blue-green type." 



This description will be found to include the other eggs in the 

 Collection. In size the eggs vary from 1-10 to 1-31, by from -76 

 to -88. 



1. Samoa. Rev. S. J. Whitmee [C.I. 



2. Samoa. Rev. S. J. Whitmee [0.1. 

 2. Samoa, Feb. Rev. S. J. Whitmee [071 

 1. Samoa, May. Rev. S. J. Whitmee [0.1. 



1. Samoa, Oct. Rev. S. J. Whitmee [O.J. 



2. Samoa. Crowley Bequest. 

 1. Samoa (Godeffroy Museum). Seebohin Coll. 



Merula nigrorum (Ogilvie- Grant). 

 V. fig. 18.) 



Turdus nigrorum, Ogilvie- Grant, Ibis, 1896, p. 544; id. fy Whitehead, 



Ibis, 1898, p. 238, pi. v. figs. 8, 9. 

 Merula nigrorum, Sharpe in Seebohm's Mon. Turdidce, ii. p. 65 (1900) ; 



id. Hand-l. iv. p. 119 (1903). 



Two eggs of the Negros-Island Ouzel in the Collection, taken by 

 Mr. Whitehead in 1896, are of a regular oval form and fairly glossy. 

 They are of a greenish- or bluish-grey colour, thickly mottled and 

 blotched with two shades of rather bright chestnut-red. The 

 markings are evenly distributed over the shell, but are in bolder 

 blotches on one egg than the other. The eggs measure respectively : 

 1-16 by -82 ; 1-17 by -84. 



2. Canloan Volcano, Negros Island, J. Whitehead, Esq. [0.1. 

 Philippines, 12th April. 



VOL. IV. 



