5 



22,^= Pyrrliulopsis tabuensis koroensis. 



Aprosmictus anna Cass. U. S. Exp. 1858, 236 (Fiji Is.). — Platycercus anna Grai/, List. Psitt. 

 1859, 11 (Fiji). — Platycercus tabuensis Jard etSolhi/, 111. Oni. II pi. LXXIV?; Fimch, Pap. 18G8 II, 231 

 pt, — Platycercus sp. Lay. Ibis 1876, 143 (Koro). — Platycercus hysginus Salvin, Ibis 1876, 143 (Koro). 

 Platycercus koroensis Lay. Ibis 187G, 391 (Koro). — Platycercus annae pt. I'msc/i, P. Z. S. 1877, 772 

 (Koro). — Pyrrhulopsis hysginus lichmr. Consp. Psitt. 1882, G8 (Koro). 



Koro^ Fiji Is. (Lay.) 



23.* Pyrrhulopsis tabuensis atrogularis. 



Platycercus atrogularis Fealo, U. S. Expl. Exp. 1848, 129 pi. 35; JlarlL Wieg. Arch. 1852, 106, 

 132 (Fiji Is.). — Platycercus tabuensis (hay/i, P. Z. S. 1849, 14?; <Salvm, Ibis 1876, 143 note (Vanua Levu) ; 

 Lo,y. t. c. 143, 390 (Vanua L.); Llchniv. Yogelb. t. XVI f. 1. (Vauua L.). — ? Aprosmictus atrigularis Bp. 

 Naum. 1856. - Pyrrhulopsis atrigularis Sdat. P. Z. S. 1864, 158 (Ngau); id, P. Z. S. 1876, 307 (Ngau). 

 — Pyrrhulopsis tabuensis Rchnw. Consp. Psifct. 1882, 07 (Vanua L.). — „Vangha-vangha", Fiji Is. (Peale). 



Vamia Leril (LAiy,); N<jau (Llayncr). 



It was first pointed out by Mr. Layard (Ibis 1876, 143) and Mr. Sclater (P. Z. S. 1876, 308) that 

 certain islands of the Fiji Group possessed each a distinct race or subspecies of P. tabuensis Gm., viz: one 

 on'the island of Koro with a greater or less abundance of crimson-tipped feathers on the rump and a 

 small bar of blue, — sometimes absent, — at the back of the neck; a second on Vanua Levu and Ngau 

 "with a much broader blue collar and no crimson on the rump, and a third on Taviurii with neither a blue 

 collar nor crimson on rump. The original Tabuan Parrot of Latham is stated to have come from „Tonga-tabu 

 and other Friendly Islands" (Gon. Syn. I 214), but, according to all recent evidence and the stateincnts of 

 collectors and of the natives, it is found in the Friendly Islands only on Eua, a Avell-wooded moun- 

 tainous islet lying a little to the south of Tonga-tabu. The natives assert tliat the birds on this islet are 

 descended from specimens originally brought over from the Fiji Islands which escaped from confinement; and 

 there is every reason to believe that such is the fact. A fair scries of specimens ir^ the Hamburg Museum show^s 

 that Eua is inhabited by a mixed race combining the characters of the Vanna Levu — Ngau and of the 

 Koro races. The typical P. tabuensis G-m. resembles the Vaxma Levu— Ngau, while the single specimen which 

 Forster obtained at Eua corresponds with the Koro Parrot. It has been stated that this specimen of Forster 

 served as type at once for his own P. hysginus, for P. tabuensis Gm. and for P. atropurpureus Shaw 

 (Pclz. Ibis 1873, 30; Schl. Mus. P. B. Rev. Psitt. 37), but Forster was much to accurate a describer to 

 have omitted to mention a broad blue collar, had it been present, and, as to P. atropurpureus, Shaw 

 remarks that Latham had seen his specimen and rmtcd that it was diiTerent from P. tabuensis. In fact 

 Forster's P. hysginus appears to mark one extreme and P. tabuensis Gm. the other extreme of 

 variation amongst the Parrots of Eua, as the following series from tliat island shows: ^ 



Extent of blue collar. Amount of crimRon on rump. 



a. (Hamburg Mus.) — Slight trace of Llue-tipped feathers . . . Many maroon-tipped feathers. 



b. ( „ » ) — 2 or 3 feathers Little. 



c. ( „ „ ) — Thin blue collar 2 or 3 feathers. 



d. ( „ „ ) — Small Abundance. 



e. ( „ „ ) — Small Scarcely any. 



f . ( „ „ ) — Considerable None. 



g. (Bremen Mus.) — Large None. 



h. ( „ „ ) - Very little Much. 



i. (British Mus.) — Considerable None. 



Specimen a, in which the blue at the back of the neck would not be noticed unless it were looked 

 for, corresponds with Forater's P. hysginus, and the fine specimen, g, in the Bremen Museum with P. 

 tabuensis Gni.. a, d and h might be taken for Koro, and f, g and i for Vanua Levu or Ngau specimens, 

 but the remaining three are more uncertain. As a rule specimens from Eua appear to have a harder- 

 looking, more metallic, underside than those from Fiji. 



It is, however, obviously undesirable to attempt to identify the well-marked races of the Fiji 

 Islands with the descriptions of specimens of this mongrel breed, which should be held apart under its original 

 title P. tabuensis Gm.. P. hysginus Forst., having come from Eua, is a synonym of it. Dr. Reichenow 



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