1877.] BIRDS OF TONGATABU, FIJI, ETC. 741 



2. Halcyon veneratus, Gm. 



Halcyon veneratus, Sharpe, Mon. Kingf. p. 245, t. 

 No. 548. Tahiti. Male. 



549. „ 



550. „ 



551. „ ,, 

 ')5'? 



Xj^Y' -^ ^^^- " Female. 

 1)54. ,, ,, 



i>Ti3, ,, ,, 



556. 



The excellent series before me does not confirm the view that either 

 the dark band across the breast, or the more bluish green, or the 

 duller brown coloration of the upper parts is peculiar to a certain 

 state of age or sex. All are apparently old specimens, and show 

 every gradation in these characters. 



The dull brownish tone passing into verdigris prevails in most of 

 luo specimens ; only No. 5, 548 (male), and 554 (female), are more 

 of a j.reenish-blue, especially on the head and wings; these spe- 

 cimens have no dark breast-band, this being only faintly shown by 

 rusty tips of the feathers. No. 551 (male) has scarcely any indi- 

 cation of a breast-band (resembling, therefore, the right-hand figure 

 on Sharpe's plate). In No. 5, 550 (male) and 552 (male) the 

 breast-baud is on a rusty ground-colour, speckled with blackish, in 

 the remaining specimens more or less of a brownish black. 



The length of " wings," varies from 3" 3'" to 3" 7'". 



Mr. Layard enumerates H. veneratus, from Tonga (P. Z. S. 1876, 

 p. 501}, but probably obtained the specimen here. 



3. Ptilonoptjs purpuratus (Grm.) 



Ptilonopus purpuratus, F. &. H. Orn. Central-Polyn. p. 122. 



No. 557. Tahiti. Male, 

 558. „ Female. 



"Feet violet; eyes orange; bill green at the base, tip yellow." 

 —J. M. 



I am pleased to have an opportunity of examining the Ptilonopus of 

 the Tahiti group, which is so rare in collections; and as the description 

 given in the 'Ornithology of Central Polynesia' (being copied 

 from Peale) turns out to be incorrect in some points, I think it 

 necessary to give a new one. 



Male. Front and vertex delicate purplish-lilac, forming a pale 

 and, not as usual in the members of this geuns, circumscript head- 

 cap ; remainder of head, neck, and under surface ashy-grey with only 

 a very faint greenish tinge, more visible on the middle of the breast 

 and vent ; throat-feathers bifurcate in the centre tinged with pale 

 dull yellow-greenish ; lower vent whitish, under tail-feathers citron- 

 yellow ; tarsal feathers ashy-grey ; back, wings, and tail bright 

 grass-green ; on the mantle and shoulders with a bronzy shine under 

 certain hghts ; remiges slaty black on the outer webs, tips dark 



