496 mr. e. l. layarb on BiKBS [June 6. 



some even on the low cotton-bushes, the voice a pleasing melan- 

 choly rolling coo, like that of its Fijian congener. Many young birds, 

 assuming the magenta head, were obtained ; the females are not so 

 brightly coloured as the males, especially on the under tail-coverts ; 

 verv young birds have the whole of the underpaits " scaly " 

 (maiile') with yellow edges to their green feathers; the wing-feathers 

 are also broadly edged and tipped with fine yellow. They show no 

 trace of the V-shaped termination of the breast-feathers, one of the 

 characteristics of the genus ; nor is the apical termination of the first 

 primary so attenuated. 



23- COLL'MBA VITIENSIS, Quoy. 



A mutilated specimen brought me by a native appeared to be 

 similar to our Fijian bird ; and Mr. Whitmee informed me that he 

 believed 



2-1. Columba castaneiceps, Peale, 

 to he founded on the young of this species. They are not common. 



25. Carpophaga pacifica, Gm. 



Very abundant, and the sexual organs and knob on the bill of the 

 male much developed in December. 



26. Phlogcenas stairi, Gray. 



Rare ; only one specimen fell under my notice. Mr. Krause 

 (Messrs. Godeffioy's collector) told me they had periodical migra- 

 tions, and were sometimes plentiful. This bird is said to nest on the 

 ground. 



27. Dibl'nculus strigirostris, Jard. 



I did not myself see this bird in its haunts ; but one was shot not 

 far from where I happened to be, and I had the pleasure of skinning 

 it. 1 had a native out in search of these birds for three days ; but he 

 failed to obtain any. 



28. Megapodils stairi, Gray. 



Mr. "Whitmee and Mr. Krause both assured me no Megapode 

 exists in the Navigators' Islands. Mr. Whitmee affirmed that the 

 bird on which the species was founded was brought from Xinafoo bv 

 the Rev. W. Stair, and transmitted to England among some Samoan 

 skins ; hence the mistake. When I recollect that my late old friend 

 Mr. G. R. Gray fathered on me the habitat of Ceylon for Larus 

 hemprichii, because I gave the British Museum specimens shot 

 at Aden on my way from the former place ^among a number of 

 Ceylonese birds), I don't wonder at the mistake! 



29. Rallus pectoralis, Less. 



Very abundant, running about wet places like rats, and preferring 

 to trust for safety to their heels rather than their wings. 



