New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands. 339 
men of Platycercus ulieteanus (Gm.) in the British Mu- 
seum is from Tanna, New Hebrides? (cf. Ibis, 1873, p. 80). 
In Gray’s ‘ Birds of Tropical Islands,’ the habitat of Tanna 
is marked with doubt (?). We have made many inquiries, 
but cannot learn that such a bird exists on the island, nor 
do we deem it at all likely that the Society Islands and Tanna 
should possess an identical species. 
Again, Trichoglossus pygmeus is said to have come from 
Otaheite (cf. Ibis, 1873, p.32); but Latham says “ it inhabits 
several of the islands in the South Seas.” The figure 
of this bird given in ‘ The Ibis’ (/oc. cit.) will do admirably 
for the female of 7. palmarum, Forst., which L. L. lately 
procured on Vate, and believes he saw on Api and Santo (ef. 
Ibis, 1878, p. 274) ona previous visit. Without actual com- 
parison of specimens we can do no more than express our 
belief in the identity of the species, and that Otaheite has 
been given as an erroneous habitat. The colours of the bill 
and legs given in the figure undoubtedly differ from those of 
our more recently killed birds; but that may be simply the 
effect of age and exposure. In our specimens even they are 
rapidly changing ; but L. L.’s notes give them “ coral-red ;” 
iris “light orange,” not brown, as in the plate. There is 
also the slightest tinge of crimson on the feathers at the base 
of the lower mandible; but these may be easily overlooked, 
and probably, from what we know of allied forms, do not 
exist in young females, or in males previous to their first 
moult. 
We have been fortunate enough to secure a magnificent 
specimen of Drepanoptila holosericea (Temm.) with its gizzard 
undistended with food; and we can now confidently state that 
it is in perfect accord with the figure given by Prof. Garrod 
in the ‘Proceedings of the Zoological Society’ for 1874, 
p-. 257, of the gizzard of Ptilopus, thus setting at rest the 
question of its affinity with that genus. 
2a2 
