TOWNSEND AM) WI.IMOKK: IMF. HIHDS. 101 



bird (H)!!!^!!!)!!: - /V/A)////.v jHirpln/rami.'i, Satirdjuiti.t itncm n(icra, 

 Hyimroltpui tahitini, IjiUujc jiorifini, Jy;/o;//.v tdhurnsht, Mi'liphngn 

 caruncuJata, wootl shrike {Piunrolcitcji hriuri), and Polynesian duck 

 {Anas supcrciliosu.s jHlcimi.tiji). 



Vavat, the la-st island in the Tonpas visitcci hy the Expiflition, is 

 KK) miles norlli of Nonuika. It is nine miles in h'lijrtli an«i in one part 

 ahout TOO feet hij^h. It is cultivated, wcwxled, and has a population 

 of over .'J,(XK). The ship la\- off Neiafu village 4 and 5 Deceniher. 

 The name N<'iafu should not he confused with Niuafou, the latter 

 being an island ai)out L'OO miles north of Vavau. The birds of Niuafou 

 were made known by Finsch in 1877. It was not visited by the 

 Albatross. The birds taken at \'a\au were Ptilopm jxjrjihyrnf'cu.f, 

 Sauropaiis sacra cclada (new), Collocalia francica toicnseiidi, Lalage 

 paclfica, a shrike {Pacfn/ccphala jncqninoti), and Ajuhmi.'i Idhiini.si.s. 



Wild ducks were seen in the ponds. This island would i)robably 

 repay careful ornithological exploration. 



A single specimen of Plufialis doininicus fuhus was taken at Vavau. 



The Fiji Islands. This great archipelago contains about l.W 

 islands and as many more islets and reefs. It extends through seven 

 degrees of latitude and of longitude. The islands are of both volcanic 

 and of coral formation, are densely forested, and have a nati\ e popula- 

 tion of more than 100,000. 



Kambara, where the Albatross lay from 7 to 9 December, is a 

 wooded, volcanic island, four miles long, with a height of 470 feet. 



Two of the birds found in the Tongas, Ptilopus porphyraccus and 

 Lalage pacifica, were also found here. The other land birds were 

 Aplonis vitiensis, honey eater (Myzomrla jugularis), Halcyon sacra 

 i^itinms, flycatcher {Myiagra tow7iscndi), and wood shrike {Pinaro- 

 le^tes nesiotes), the last two being new species. 



The honey eater, Myzomela, was the only species that appeared to 

 be common near the village of Tokalau, wiiere all the birfls were 

 obtained. Its native name is Bithi-bithi Kula. The new flycatcher, 

 Myiagra, is called Sia-sia. Other birds might have been found in the 

 higher woods, had there been time to search for them. There are 

 apparently no records to show that Kambara had ever been visited 

 by naturalists. There are perhaps a dozen islands in the P'iji Group, 

 of the size of Kambara, about which naturalists have no information. 



The Albatross arrived at Suva, \'iti Levu Island, 10 December, 

 and remained until the 19th. Viti Le^'u, largest of the Fijis. is also 

 the largest island of Eastern or Central PoIxTiesia, having an area of 

 over 4,000 square miles. Its highest peak has an eIe\'ation of 5,000 



