THE



49



Hv(cultural flfcagastne,


BEING THE JOURNAL OF THE


AVICULTURAL SOCI ETY.



7 hint Series— VOL. III. No 2 .—All rights reserved. DECEMBER, 1911.



NOTES ON SOME FIJIAN BIRDS IN CAPIIVITY.


By Philip H. Bahr, M.A., M.B., F.Z.S., M.B.O.U.


The following is a short account of some experiences with

a limited number of native birds during a fifteen months stay in

the Fiji.


Several species were successfully brought home to Eng¬

land, amongst which the finch (E> ythrura pealei), the lory

(Calliptilus solitat ius) and the parroquet. (. Pyrrliulopsis taviuensis )

are, I believe, the first to be brought to this country alive.


Fiji is but poorly supplied with bright-coloured birds, and

in this respect the subject of the accompanying plate, so admir¬

ably executed by Mr. Goodchild, affords an exception.


The Parrot, Peale's, or lure-tailed Finch is the proud

possessor of a native name, Oigi (pronounced Ng-ghi-ng-ghI), a

term which appears to be applied loosely by the Fijians to any

small bird, but to this species in particular.


It is a curious fact that the Fijian knows nothing or cares

little for any bird ; the paucity of native names testifies to this

fact; consequently but little assistance can be gained from natives

by those anxious to collect or trap birds.


The plumage of these birds is an admixture of blue, green

and red, a livery also adopted by the two more familiar species of

parrot, ( Pyrrliulopsis splendens and Calliptilus solitarius ), peculiar

to these islands.


The Fiji group comprises nearly 250 islands of all sizes in

many of which the physical conditions are extremely variable.

This finch confines its range to the three largest, Viti Eevu,

Vanua Levu and Taveuni ; on the first-named island it is an



