352 ON BIRDS FROM THE SAMOA ISLANDS. [Mar. 19, 



be found in the 'South-Pacific Directory,' 3rd edition, p. 627(London, 

 1871). The two species of birds of this island represented are, — 



Aplonis vitiensis, Layard, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 502. 



Aplonis tavuensis, F. & H. Faun. Centr.-Polyn. p. 103, t. x. f. 2 

 (nee Gmelin). 



One skin of this species, agreeing with skins from Fiji in the 

 British Museum, and others from the same islands in the * Chal- 

 lenger' collections, determined by Dr. Finsch as "Aplonis vitiensis, 

 Lay." (conf. Finsch, P. Z. S. 1877, p. 735). The native name is 

 given as "Husila." 



Mvzomela chermesina, G. R. Gray, G. B. i. pi. 38 ; id. Cat. 

 B. Trop. Islands, p. 11. 



This species was figured by Mitchell in the ' Genera of Birds,' 

 but not described ; nor was any locality mentioned for it in the list 

 of species of Myzomela in the same work. Bonaparte, however, in 

 his 'Conspectus,' gave " New Guinea" as the habitat, though what 

 reason for this he had, other than that at that time " Nova Guinea" 

 was a convenient " refuge for the destitute," is not known. The 

 figure in the ' Genera ' represents a bird with a uniform scarlet under 

 surface ; but fortunately the original specimen is still in existence, 

 mounted in the Bird Gallery of the British Museum. Two speci- 

 mens of a Myzomela, certainly distinct from any other known as 

 inhabiting the Pacific Islands, were contained in Mr. Brown's collec- 

 tion from Rotumah ; and a look at Gray's figure sufficed to indicate 

 considerable differences between the two birds. On examining, how- 

 ever, Gray's type of his M. chermesina, it became evident at once 

 that the two birds were really identical, and that the apparent differ- 

 ence, consisting in the belly and vent being of a uniform red in the 

 plate, instead of a brownish-black, was due to a mistake on the artist's 

 part. As Myzomela chermesina has not yet been described, and is 

 irrecognizable from Gray's figure, I herewith proceed to give a 

 diagnosis and description. 



Myzomela chermesina, G. R. Gray, Gen. B. i. pi. 38 ; id. B. 

 Trop. Isl. Pacif. p. 1 1 ; Bp. Cousp. Av. i. p. 394. sp. 3 ("ex Nova 

 Guinea"!) ; Gray, Handl. B. i. p. 154. no. 1989 ("New Guinea? "j. 



<3 (ad. ?). Fusco-nigricans, alis caudaque nitore nonnullo metal- 

 lico ; mento, gula, pectore lateribusque abdominis, cum dorso 

 uropygioque, nitide coccineis, plumis basi nigris ; rostro nigro, 

 pedibus brunneo-corneis. Long. tot. circa 4|, rostr. |-, al. 3, 

 caud. 2 (poll. Angl.). 

 Male. Fuscous-black ; interscapulars and wing-coverts darker, and 

 with a slight metallic gloss, which extends onto the tail ; primaries 

 browner, the internal web narrowly margined with whitish, except 

 at tip ; wings beneath pale greyish-brown ; chin, throat, breast, 

 sides of belly till near legs, back, rump, and upper tail-coverts shi- 

 ning crimson-scarlet, the feathers black at base ; beak black ; legs 

 dark horn-colour. 



