1875.] MR. E. L. LAYARD ON FIJIAN BIRDS. 425 
my son saw it hunting over grassy land, like the English Barn-Owl. 
I also have it from Ovalau. 
Puatycercus TABUENSIS (Gmel.); F. & H. op. cit. p. 17. 
Non vidi. 
PLATYCERCUS SPLENDENS, Peale; F. & H. op. cit. p. 20. 
Common on Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Kandavu; none on Soma, 
Loma, Mango, Thithia*, Munia, Naitamba, Ovalau, Wakaia, and 
Mokauai. I am inclined to think the Taviuni bird is either distinct 
or a local variety. It has more drown in its colour, some that I 
have seen being almost of a chocolate-crimson. Breeds in holes of 
trees, and lays two eggs, white, or so much stained as to appear 
reddish. I am not sure how this stain arises, whether from the 
parent bird or the bark with which the nest is lined. It occurs also 
in eges of P. personatus to such an extent that I mistook some eggs 
sent me for those of Astur cruentus, until assured by my corre- 
spondent that he had only taken those of the Parrot, Axis 1” 5’, 
diam. 1” 2'", They are very noisy in their flight, and generally 
ramble about in small companies from five to-ten in number, feeding 
on wild fruits and berries; in some places they do much harm to 
the fields of maize and sugar-cane. The natives account for the 
want of Parrots on Ovalau, Wakaia, and Mokauai, by a tradition 
that a god in the shape of a large serpent dwelt on the latter island, 
and wandered about, serpent-fashion, during the night. Of course 
he slept during the day, and his early morning slumbers were dis- 
turbed by the cries of the “early birds”? among the Parrots; he 
therefore issued an edict that they were all to die off these islands ; 
and die they did! He exempted the “Kulas” (Lorius solitarius, 
Lath.) from the ban, as their voices are not so loud; and therefore 
“here they dwell unto this day.” The native name of boih is 
“‘ Kau-kau,” or “ Kaka,”’ and on the Kewa “ Ka-Ndamu,” according 
to Mr. Storck. 
PLATYCERCUS PERSONATUS, G. R. Gray; F. & H. op. cit. p. 21. 
The same remarks as to distribution may be made with this 
species as with the last, except that since the anuexation of these 
islands my butler, who has been collecting for me in the upper 
ranges of this island (Ovalau), tells me he has several times seen a 
small party of these birds, evidently “quite at home.’ Perhaps 
they are aware that the old days have passed away, and that under 
the British flag “liberty”? aud “ equality ”’ flourish ; and so they 
have determined to set their old enemy the serpent at defiance, and 
come to reinhabit the homes of their ancestors. It will be inter- 
esting to note if the little new colony flourishes. 
* I spell the names of these places as they are pronounced, and not in the 
absurd fashion introduced by the missionaries when reducing the language to 
writing. According to it, every D and G@ has an N before it, more or less 
sounded ; and Th is represented by C. Thus, Mang-o (the g belonging to the 
first syllable) is written Mago, and Thithia = Cicia. All the yowels in Fijian 
haye the Italian sound: k stands for the hard e¢, as in “ cat.” 
