TOWNSKM) AM) WKIMoUK: Mil. IiIKDS. 179 



na. Hill shorter than tarsus witli iiiiddh- tor, <'(|iijil to or shorter than 



tail I'hnro/iu.s. 



The species of Niiniriiius are larj^er than those of I'haeopus, hut 

 tliere is no pronounced pip hetween the two groups, as /*. tnhHiin.sis 

 and P. hiuUonicus form intenne<iiate steps between the larger and 

 smaller curlews. 



17. Pn.\E<)Pis TAimiKNsis ((inielin). 



Scolopax lahitiensis Gmclin, Syst. nat., 1789, 1, i)t. 2, p. 65G. (Tahiti). 



Ten specimens of this fine curlew were collected as follows; — Maka- 

 tea, G October, and ^lakemo, 122 October, Pauinotu Islands; Taritari, 

 Gilbert Islands, January; and Rongelab, Marshall Islands, 18 Janu- 

 ary. Two males and two females were taken at both of the last two 

 localities. Two birds from the Paumotus are in rather worn plumage. 

 January specimens from Taritari anfi Rongelab have molted an<i are 

 in fresh plumage save for one l)ird (a female) from Rongelab. In it 

 the wings and tail show much wear. One male from the same locality 

 has a strong wash of rufous on the ntx-k and upper breast. In one 

 male and one female from Taritari the dark markings of the throat and 

 upper breast are nearl\' obsolete. 



IS. Heteractitis INC an us (Gmelin). 



Scolopax incanus Gmelin, Syst. nat., 1789, 1, pt. 2, p. 658. (Eimeo and 

 Palmerston Islands). 



Nine specimens in the collection were taken at Xukuhiva, Marquesas 

 Islands, 16 September; Rangiroa, 21 September, and Makemo, 20 

 October, Paumotu Islands; Funafuti, Ellice Islands, 24 December; 

 Tarawa, 3 January, and Taritari, 6 January, Gilbert Islands; and 

 Kusaie, Eastern Carolines, 9 February. A female taken at Rangiroa, 

 Paumotu Islands, 21 September, still retains a part of the barred adult 

 plumage on the under parts. The other specimens are in winter 

 plmnage. This species seems to range in winter across most of Poly- 

 nesia and the bird secured at Kusaie marks a point near its westward 

 limit. In the present collection it was replaced at Uala by the allied 

 H. brevipcs. 



