187ti.] OF THE FRIENDLY ISLANDS. 400 



52. Tachypetes aquilus, L. 



Common iu stormy weather. 



Though the numher of species is smaller in the Navigators' Islands 

 than in Fiji, being 52 as compared with 98, the number of indi- 

 viduals is apparently far greater. I could any morning, within one 

 mile of the town of Upolu, shoot twenty or thirty birds, of at least 

 ten species, iu the course of a couple of hours. Here in Fiji, in the 

 best collecting-ground, we considered eighteen or twenty specimens 

 a good day's work, from daylight till one or two o'clock ; and we 

 might perhaps have six. species, if we were lucky ! 



We were in Samoa at the worst time of the year, the rainy 

 season : all the birds were moulting ; and the young of the last season 

 had not assumed their full nuptial dress. Mr. Krause assured me 

 I could have obtained double or treble the number in the fine 

 season, especially when the Erythrina blossomed. Its flowers are a 

 great attraction to insects, and consequently to most of the birds. 



I fancy that there are still other species to be discovered in the 

 group. Dr. Griiffe does not seem to have been an assiduous collector, 

 or he could not have missed so many novelties in Fiji. Perhaps 

 Mr. Kleinsmith, the present collector for Messrs. Godeffroy, may 

 prove more industrious ; he has already done good service by dis- 

 covering the curious little Lamprolia minor, and procuring additional 

 examples of my new species. 



On the 12th of February I found myself in Tonga-Tabu ; and as 

 soon as I could spare time from my official work (the object of my 

 visit) I took a stroll in the country to inspect the birds of 

 that part of my consulate. Few and far between were they. 

 The little Col/oca/ia, as usual, thrust himself first into notice ; and 

 I eagerly scanned them as they glided by to detect C. vaaico- 

 rensis, but in vain. Then the " Wattle-birds " (Ptilotis) claimed my 

 attention ; and I fear I shot more than I could skin, to look for one 

 with a white eye ; none showed that peculiarity. Then Lalage terat 

 appeared on the scene in considerable numbers. I was surprised at 

 this, as it is not included in Drs. Fiusch and Hartlaub's list. The 

 last bird I shot was Aplonis tabuensis : and the instant I picked it up I 

 saw that our Fiji bird differed from it, and had been wrongly associated 

 with it. If, then, none of the synonyms given to A. tabuensis can 

 be traced to a Fijian-killed bird, I propose for our species the name of 

 A. vitiensis; and the bird I have described from the island of Futuna 

 being identical with the Tongan species, the uame given to it by 

 me must sink into another synonym of that already overburdened 

 species. 



To proceed symmetrically, however, I commence with 



1. Haliaetus leucogaster, Gm. (.') 



A solitary specimen of this bird may have reached Tonga; but all 

 my inquiries respecting Raptorial birds only elicited the fact that 

 our two Fijian hawks occasionally visit the group, and are recognized 

 as stragglers by the Tongans, who of course, knowing them well, 

 call them " Fiji Hawks." Some of the white residents were also 



