TOWNSKM) AM) WKTMoHK: IIIK HIHDS. 159 



liluo lory [('horiiiliilu.s juritriiinu.s), kiii^lislicr [^Toiiirhitm jihtt.s iutu.i), 

 uiul tlu' iiitrodurt'il wt-avcr l»ir<l {hnicliura cajitnuiDthnnij). A whole 

 afternoon of diligent exploration failed to r<'V<'al any other sj)eeifs. 

 The Blue lory, Choriphilus. is called Ve-ne, and the kin^rfislier, Todi- 

 rhaniphus, C)-ta-tari hy the nati\es. 



Hora Horn, like all of the Society Islands, is volcanic, surrounded 

 with ciiral reefs. It is one of the most picturescjue islands in Kast«*rn 

 Polynesia, with its range of craggy peaks, one of which rises to a height 

 of 2,40() feet, and its encircling harrier reef dotted with coroanut groves. 

 It is heavily forested and has a population of al)out (((M). 



The Cook ok Hkrvey Islands. — This grouj) has nine rather 

 widely separatetl islands, some of which are volcanic and rise to con- 

 siderable heights. Others of less height are elevated coralliferous 

 islands. All are forested and most of them are surroundeil liy harrier 

 reefs, oft^n enclosing lagoons. 



The group has a native population of over 7,0(X). Six species of land 

 birds have long been known, four of which are autochthonous. 



Our stop of half a day at Aititaki, the only one visited, on 21 

 November, afforded little time for Ijird collecting. The only bird 

 found was the Blue lory {Choriphilus prruvianu.s), of which I secured 

 seven specimens. These were not different from those obtained at 

 Rangiroa and Bora Bora. This common pet of the natives will 

 probably be found on several other islands. Aitutaki has a length of 

 four miles and a height of 450 feet. It is well wooded and watered 

 and has a population of 1,500. 



The Isol.\ted Island of Xiue. Xiue or Savage Island, where we 

 anchored for a few hours on 25 November, is an isolated coralliferous 

 peak lying 600 miles west of Aitutaki and 250 miles east of the nearest 

 part of the Tonga Group. Our soundings between Aitutaki and Nine 

 revealed ocean depths exceeding 2,S00 fathoms, and between Nine 

 and the Tongas, depths exceeding 4,500 fathoms. It has a diameter 

 of about ten miles, an elevation of 200 feet, and is well wooded. We 

 saw trees perhaps sixty feet high. The island is fertile and has many 

 breadfruit and mango trees. It has 4,000 inhabitants. The land 

 birds secured were fruit pigeon (Ptilopus porphyraceus), parrot (]'ini 

 au.stralis), cuckoo shrike {Lalage whitmcci), tree starling iAplonis 

 hrunncsccns) , and a White-rumped swift (CoUocalia fraticica town- 

 sendi), recently described by Oberholser from Albatross collections 

 as new. Thb species was also taken in the Tonga Islands. The 

 genus is celebrated for the nest it builds against cliffs, from a secretion 

 of its salivary glands, and which is marketed as "edible birds' nest." 



