338 Mr. E. L. Layard on the Avifauna of 
“scaled” appearance. The white vent is tinted with brown, 
more or less, and so also are the peculiar markings of the 
under tail-coverts. Some fine males also enable us to cha- 
racterize these more particularly. Each feather has a white 
shaft, leading into a largish white tear-shaped spot, which 
occupies the entire point of the plume. These under tail- 
coverts and the white vent readily distinguish the species 
from any other of the genus we have from these parts. 
In the collection containing these birds were specimens of 
our new Erythrura cyaneifrons, and also of Aplonis atro- 
nitens, G. R. Gray, showing that these two species extend. 
from Lifu (whence first described) to, at least, one other 
island of the group. 
On another expedition, a few days earlier, a fine example 
of the rare Clytorhynchus pachycephaloides, D. G. Elliot, was 
obtained in the locality where we previously found it. Un- 
fortunately, “ Long Tom” behaved badly, and “ balled ;” and 
when the native with us picked up our prize he exclaimed, 
“Head belong-a-him-fellow ; he nostop!” We had smashed 
it to fragments, though a long shot through bushes; perhaps 
a “splinter ”’ had done the mischief. 
We should here remark that L. L. procured this obscure 
dusky-coloured bird during a short stay he made on Vate 
(Sandwich Island), New Hebrides, in May last. 
Our French friend likewise confirmed a report that we 
(E.L.L.) heard at Houailou, that the Crows of the west 
coast were a far larger species than the little Physocoraxr 
moneduloides, Less., of the eastern coast. He says they do 
not come down within sixty or eighty miles of Noumea, but 
that where found they are not uncommon. He also feelingly 
confirmed the reports of the “ body-snatching ” propensities 
of the smaller birds, which he knew nothing of till he had eaten 
some fifteen or twenty! He was then informed by the 
natives that these birds always picked the bones of their 
dead, which were exposed on trees for the purpose. This 
was too much for even our friend’s love of “ gibier,” French- 
man though he be, and he has given up eating Crows ! 
- On what authority does Dr. Finsch conclude that a speci- 
