88 DRS. HARTLAUB AND FINSCH ON BIRDS [JaU. 16, 



only two occur on both groups, and are widely distributed in the 

 archipelago, namely Myzomela rubratra and Galornis kittlitzii. 

 The rule in the geographical distribution of birds, that islands close 

 to each other are generally inhabited by certain allied species of the 

 same genus, which represent each other, is manifested very clearly 

 with respect to the birds of the Pelew and Uap. The two islands have 

 each two species of Zosterops, one Rhipidura, one Campephaga, and 

 one Phlegosnas. The avifauna of Pelew, better known than that of 

 Uap, is richer in peculiar species, possessing twelve, whereas Uap 

 has only six, which species are marked in our subjoined list with an 

 asterisk. Of the other forty-six species known in these groups, 

 twenty-seven are widely distributed over the Indo-Malayan region 

 and the Pacific ; but there is a strong tendency towards the birds of 

 the former region, about sixteen being Indo-Malayan, whereas only 

 seven are peculiar Pacific forms. Sixteen species may be regarded 

 as stragglers, some of which are of very rare occurrence, such as 

 Falco peregrinus and Nycticorax griseus, which visit these islands 

 during their migrations. Nine of the species are European. Two 

 species occur also in Australia. 



In comparing the ornithology of these groups of islands with those 

 of other Central- Polynesian groups, and taking into consideration 

 their far less extent, we find that, nevertheless, they are considerably 

 richer. Thus, the Vitis possess sixty species, amongst which eighteen 

 are peculiar ; whereas the Navigator group has only fifty, of which 

 sixteen are peculiar ; and the Friendl\ T Islands, out of thirty-seven 

 species, only six peculiar. This interesting fact, no doubt, must be 

 considered a result of the far stronger influence of Indo-Malayan 

 species which predominates in the western Carolines. 



As a singular fact in relation to the general view of the ornithology 

 of the Western Carolines, we may notice the absence of Fringilline 

 birds and of Parrots, which, in respect of the latter, is the more re- 

 markable, as we know of the occurrence of a very interesting species 

 (Domicella rubiginosa) on the small island of Puinipet, of the Se- 

 niavin group, which forms the outermost eastern corner of the Caro- 

 lines archipelago. 



Mr. Kubary has given us some meagre notices about the island of 

 Uap and its ornithic life. According to these the interior of Uap 

 consists of a hill-like plateau, which is destitute of trees, and only 

 covered with grass. This hilly interior is surrounded by a narrow 

 strip of wooded land, of a garden-like appearance, not broader than 

 from one to two English miles, which possesses a richer vegetation 

 of areca-palms, banyans, bamboos, and, nearer to the shore, of cocoa- 

 trees. In general the vegetation is much poorer than in Upolu or 

 other Central-Polynesian islands. On the plateau birds are very 

 rare. Mr. Kubary notices only the Kuling (Strepsilas) and Nume- 

 nius phceopus, and observed once a small bird, which he believes to 

 have been a Collocalia, but which he was not fortunate enough to 

 secure. The greatest amount of bird life is found in the wood-re- 

 gion. Here Myzomela, Zosterops, Campephaga, Phlegcenas, Orty- 

 gometra, and a species of half-wild Gal/us occurs ; the Myzomela, 



