1876.] OF THE FRIENDLY ISLANDS. 501 



that the hird has been introduced into Eooa artificially. I have 

 already (Ibis, 1876) described the varieties of this species and 

 PL splendens, Peale. It will be seen that PL tabuensis and its allies 

 inhabit that part of Fiji to which the Tongans have long years 

 ago had free access. They and the Samoans are specially 

 partial to red feathers for trimming their fans, &c, and for this 

 purpose keep our little Loriiis solitarius in confinement, pluck- 

 ing it twice a year. I was told they fetched as high as 20 or 30 

 dollars a pair in Tonga, to which place, and to Samoa, they are con- 

 veyed by every canoe or vessel that leaves these islands. What more 

 likely, then, that some Tongan (a chief probably) took with him 

 the form of P. tabuensis found in Yanua Levu, and either purposely 

 or accidentally let it loose in Eooa? It could never fly thither 

 of its own accord ; its powers are too limited ; and not one represen- 

 tative of the genus is found anywhere among the islands. No ! it 

 must have been introduced*. 



At Yavaw I heard of a " small parrot with two long feathers in 

 its tail " which formerly existed in the group, but has become quite 

 extinct. 



6. CORIPHILUS FRINGILLACEUS, Gm. 



This lovely little bird is very abundant on Eooa and Vavaw, but 

 is rare on Tonga Tabu ; at least so said the Missionaries. Native 

 name " Kohanga." 



7. Eudynamis taitiensis, Sparrm. 



I could hear nothing of such a bird ; but it probably exists there. 



8. Halcyon sacra, Gm. 



9. H. YEN ER ATA, Gm. 



I shot a whole lot of Kingfishers to find H. venerata, but, I fear, 

 without succeeding in my object. I however observed that the bills 

 in the Tongan birds were shorter than ours, and that full-plumaged 

 males never assumed the fine chestnut colours of our bird. 



10. COLLOCALIA VANICORENSIS, Quoy. 



11. C. spodiopygia, Peale. 



The latter is very common ; the former I could not detect. 



' 12. Ptilotis carunculata, Gm. 

 The commonest bird in the group, native name " Fule-haio." 



13. Tatare longirostris, Gm. 



No such bird known to any one in the group, and no native name 

 for it. Has it too become extinct ? 



14. Monarcha nigra, Sparrm. 



This bird has undoubtedly become extinct. Large sums have 



* Cf Sclater, supra, p. 308. Ed. 



