1877.] OF THE ADMIRALTY ISLANDS. 555 



] 2. Fregata ARIEL (Gould). 



"No. 482, male : eyes black, flesh of throat red : fish in stomach. 

 Shot from the phinace, while hovering with others over a shoal of 

 fish."— J. M. 



13. Nycticorax caledonicus, Lath.; Gould, B. Austr vi 

 pi. 63. 



Three specimens of this Night-heron, two adult (474, male ; 475, 

 female) and one in young plumage (4/6), were shot on Pigeon 

 Island. 



14. Ardea sacra, Gm. ; Finsch & Hartl. Orn. Central-Polvn. 

 p. 201. •' 



A specimen (no. 480) in grey plumage, with a few white feathers 

 on the throat; "eyes yellow; legs had a yellowish tinge; bill 

 black." — J. M. 



15. Carpophaga rhodinolvEma, sp. nov. 



Supra cBneo-viridis, alis caudaque saturatiorihus, remigibus et 

 rectricibiis intus nigricantibus ; capite et cervice totis et cor- 

 pora inferiore canis ; genis gulaque rosacea indutis ; crisso 

 obscure castaneo ; mento et oculorum ambitu anguste albis ; 

 rostronigro, pedibus rubris : long, tota 12-6; «/« 93, caudcB5-6. 

 Hab. Ins. Admiralitatis. 



Four examples of this Fruit-Pigeon (nos. 468, 469, 470, males ; 

 471, female) belonging to the group of C. cenea are in the collection! 

 The Marquis of Tweeddale, who has kindly compared the birds 

 for me with his series, writes : — 



"Apart from its dimensions, this Carpophaga, from the Admiralty 

 Islands, only differs from individuals of C. cenea, ex Ceylon, Mala- 

 bar, Central India, Burma, the Andamans, Borneo, Java, the Philip- 

 pines, and Hainan, in having no rosy or vinous tint on the grey 

 part of the plumage, excepting on that of the throat, cheeks, and 

 ear-coverts. In example no. 468 this is very well marked. 



The outer webs of the primaries are not conspicuously powdered 

 with grey as is the case in Central-Indian, Burman, Javan, Bornean, 

 Hainan, and Philippine examples. But I do not attach much im- 

 portance to this difference at present ; for I suspect this powdering 

 comes on only when the quills are old, and indications are evident on 

 some of the quills of no. 468." 

 Mr. Murray writes : — 



" These birds were in immense numbers, but more especially on a 

 small island near the mainland, hence called ' Pigeon Island.' On 

 the first day four guns bagged 85 in two hours. Another day 230 

 were taken, another 200, another 150. Three eggs were got. This 

 island was about two acres in extent. The Pigeons always returned 

 to it from the mainland, however much they were disturbed. It 

 would seem to have been their breeding-place.'" — /. M. 



