578 MR. P. L. SCLATER ON BIRDS [May 21, 



nine specimens of Chionis minor and seven of Querquedula eatoni ; 

 and these are the only land-birds included by Mr. Sharpe in his 

 memoir in the Royal Society's volume on the Transit-Expedition of 

 1875. 



The female of the Querquedula (of which there is one example de- 

 termined as such, and two others, evidently of the same sex) differs 

 from the male not only in the absence of the green alar speculum, 

 but also in its smaller size, in the fuscous edgings to the feathers 

 generally, and in the much shorter tail. There is also one chick of 

 this species in the collection. 



D. New Zealand (June 1874). 

 In New Zealand only four skins, belonging to three species, were 

 obtained, namely : — 



1 Miro albifrons jr., Hardy Bay. 



2 Hcematopus unicolor jr., Hardy Bay. 

 1 Botaurus pceciloptilus jr., Wellington. 



E. Hong-Kong, China (January 1875). 



From Hong-Kong seven skins, belonging to four species, all known 

 Chinese birds, were procured, viz : — 

 1 Turdus mandarinus, Bp. 



1 Halcyon pileata (Bodd.). 



2 Alcedo bengalensis, Gm. 



2 Coturnix communis, Bonn. 

 1 Turnix maculosus (Temm.). 



F. Meangis Islands (February 1875). 



Four examples of Eos indica were obtained here (of which three 

 have arrived home), under the circumstances mentioned in Mr. Mur- 

 ray's MS., as follows 1 : — 



"On the 10th February, 1875, while the ship was dredging, some 

 natives came off in a boat. They had with them mats and cocoa- 

 nuts and some Perroquets. The following are those which were 

 purchased for tobacco : — 



"440, $.") 



441, $ . Feet black ; bill orange ; eyes red, or light brown in 



442, $ . f the male. 



443, tf.J 



"We kept the male for several days alive ; he used to fly about 

 the ship and return to the house on deck when shown his food. 



" He died from eating some green stuff, it is supposed, but was 

 perhaps hurt aloft. 



"The natives came from the southermost isle of the Meangis 

 group." 



This is the most northern species of Eos known ; its hitherto only 

 ascertained locality is the neighbouring Sunghir group of islands 2 . 



1 Cf. also Lord G. Campbell's ' Log-letters ' p. 245. 



2 Cf. Rowley's Orn. Mise. p. 123, where a beautiful figure of this speeies is 

 given. 





