56 Mr. M. J. Nicoll — OrnithologicalJournal 



just appearing; in the tail, and the sixth primary of one wins; 

 is entirely white. 



This remarkable little bird, which is numerous all over 

 the island and is the only land-bird, was discovered by 

 Lieut. Vaughan, of H.M.S. 'Duke of Wellington/ He 

 brought home six specimens in spirit and presented them 

 to the British Museum. Dr. Sharpe named the species 

 after its discoverer. The adult bird is remarkable for 

 having the rectriccs and most of the reraiges white or 

 creamy white. Until I obtained my specimens, the plumage 

 of the young was unknown. It differs chiefly Prom the 

 adult in having no white on the wings or tail. The upper 

 parts are olive, with narrow paler edges to the feathers, 

 and the under parts pale rufous buff. In its habits 

 this little bird resembles a Warbler {Sylvia) ; it lives in 

 the orange-trees and bananas which thicklv cover the island, 

 where there are no reeds and no streams of Avater. Its 

 alarm-note is a loud " cliek-chek." The young birds make 

 more noise than the adult. 1 heard and shot one immature 

 bird which was screaming almost like a Jay. At the 

 highest point of the island (1000 ft.) I found it more abun- 

 dant than lower down, but I saw several individuals close 

 to the landing-place. I was told that the nest was placed 

 in a thick bush or tree about 6 to 8 ft. from the ground, 

 but I did not see one. The adults look very curious as 

 they fly, the mixed white and brown primaries giving them 

 the appearance of Pied Sparrows. The people of Pitcairu 

 call them " Sparrows/' 



We left Pitcairn Island on March 23rd for Tahiti, Society 

 Islands. On March 26th four Tropic-birds (Phaethori rubri- 

 cauda) followed us all day ; their cry much resembled that of 

 a Tern. I saw this bird several times sitting on the water. On 

 March 28th (lat. 23° 20' 23" S., long. 142° 58' 28" W.) 1 

 observed several examples of P. rubricauda and P. lepturus. 

 On March 29th, nearly twenty-four hours before we sighted 

 land, I saw two examples of Gygis Candida. We made 

 Tahiti on March 30th, and landed the same day at Papeete. 

 The only birds I noticed off 1 the island were Gygis Candida 



