1877. J BIRDS FROM EUA, FRIENDLY GROUP. 771 



Of these, examples of 21 have been inspected by me; two {Chu- 

 radrius fulvus and Limosa uropygialis) I included on Mr. Layard's 

 authority. Only one species, the Parrot Platycercus tabuensis, 

 seems to be peculiar to the island. 



1. Strix delicatula. 



Strix delicatula, Gould; Finsch & Hartl. P. Z. S. 1869, p. 5-15, 

 et Journ. f. Ornith. 1870, p. 122. 

 Native name Lulu (Hiibner, Griiffe), 



One female from Eua, exactly resembling specimens from Feejee. 

 " Contents of stomach, hairs of bats " (Hiibner). 



Mr. Hiibner observed this species also in the Hapai group, iiortli 

 of Tongataboo. 



2. Platycercus tabuensis. 



Platycercus tabuensis (Gm.) ; Finsch, Papag. ii. p. 231 ; F. & 

 H. Journ. f. Orn. 1870, p. 12,5 ; Layard, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 500. 



Native name Kaha (Hiibner, Griiffe). 



Nine specimens (collected in August 1876), all from Eua. 



The absence of red tips to the feathers of the lower rump or 

 upper row of upper tail-coverts, as I have already remarked, is 

 not a character of specific value in this bird. In the series before 

 me there is only a single specimen which has the uropygium uniform 

 green ; the others all show more or less red tips to the feathers, 

 which in some are broad and very conspicuous ; in two, also, the 

 lesser and largest scapula-coverts have purplish-red tips. The 

 extent and width of the blue neck-collar also varies individually ; 

 generally it is broad and well defined, but in some examples is so 

 narrow and obscure that it nearly disappears. 



According to Dr. (iriiffe this species is confined to the island Ena ; 

 but Mr. Layard suggests that the bird has been introduced there 

 from Fiji. 



Mr. F. Hiibner writes on this species {in lift.) : — "Notwithstanding 

 my utmost endeavours, I was not able to obtjiin certain information 

 with respect to the breeding-time of the ' Kaka.' All the holes in 

 the trees which I inspected were uninhabited ; and even the natives 

 could not tell me where eggs were to be found. But as I obtained 

 young birds in August I am inclined to believe that June and July 

 are the season of incubation, although females shot by me in these 

 months did not show any development of the ovaries. In habits 

 the Kaka does not ditfer from other Parrots ; it feeds on berries 

 and fruits. The male and female are alike, except that the latter 

 has a weaker bill. The young ones are obscure in colour, but they 

 soon get the bright dress of the old ; the iris of the latter is orange, 

 in the young grey-brown." 



In my work on the Parrots I gave, on the authority of Peale, 

 also the Fiji Islands as tlie locality for this species, considering 

 PI. atrogulaiis, Peale, and PL aiincc, Bourj., to be identical. This 

 I now believe was a mistake, as also my statement that Peale had 



