New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands. 337 
should be crimson, while those of the females should be bright 
cadmium-yellow. 
The bird last sent was killed while harrying a chicken; but 
a previous specimen had fed on mice, the skins of which were 
found in pellets in its stomach. 
We lately (November 15th), while in some forest at Ya- 
houé, came across the White-bellied Wood-Swift (Collocalia 
uropygialis, G. R. Gray) breeding in a small cavern in some 
rocks at the foot of a huge banian-tree. The nests, eleven 
im number, were placed almost all together in two rows, one 
partly over the other, like scales on a fish. ‘They were com- 
posed almost entirely of green moss, without any lining, and 
stuck to the face of the sloping rock by the glutinous saliva 
of the bird. In shape they are flattened ovals; greatest 
length inside 2 inches, depth about 24. The flat side, of 
course, was against the rock. In some were young birds, 
just hatched, and in others eggs in all stages of incubation, 
some being quite fresh. Eggs, two in each nest, pure 
white, elongated, and abruptly truncated at each end ; axis 
8!" diam. 5!", 
A gentleman, who has a slight knowledge of birds, while 
lately imspecting the collection brought by L. L. from Blanche 
Bay &c., pitched upon specimens of Dendrochelidon mysta- 
ceus, and informed us he had seen Swallows of that size, but 
without the elongated tail, in the north of this island, at Pacu. 
On questioning him, we have come to the conclusion that the 
birds seen, from their colour, shape, and size, must have 
been Chetura caudacuta, the large Australian Spiny-tailed 
Swift ; nor do we see why a bird of such enormous power of 
wing should not, in its migration, occasionally reach these 
shores. 
The acquisition of a series of our new Blackbird (Turdus 
mareensis) from the island of Maré, one of the Loyalty group, 
enables us to describe the female of this interesting species. 
One in breeding-plumage is nearly as black on the upper 
surface as the male; but below, from the chin to the vent, 
each feather is sooty black, rather broadly bordered all round 
with brown, with a greenish tint, This, of course, gives it a 
SER, IV.—VOL. IV. 2A 
