2 



with a slight steel-blue gloss on the outer webs; forehead deep chestnut; lores blackish; ear- 

 coverts dull steel-blue like the head ; cheeks, throat, and fore neck deep chestnut, with a half- 

 crescent of steel-blue descending on the sides of the latter ; remainder of under surface of body 

 uniform smoky brown, with a few mottled feathers in the centre of the breast, some of the 

 feathers being washed with steel-blue near their ends ; under tail-coverts smoky brown, edged 

 with rufous, with a distinct subterminal spot of steel-blue ; under wing-coverts and axillaries 

 dark smoky brown ; quills dusky below, rather lighter brown on the inner webs : " bill and legs 

 black; iris dark brown" {Layard). Total length 5 inches, culmen 0'35, wing 4-15, tail 2, 

 tarsus 0-3. 



AdiiU female. Similar to the male in plumage. Total length 5 inches, culmen 0'45, wing 4"2, tail 2, 

 tarsus 0'4. 



Hab. Tahiti; Tonga group; Fiji Islands; New Hebrides; Solomon Islands; New Britain ; New 

 Caledonia ? 



The principal difference between this species and its ally H. javanica has hitherto been considered to 

 consist in the absence of white spots on the tail-feathers, these being always a noticeable feature 

 in H. javanica. Mr. Seebohm has, however, recently pointed out to us that white spots on the 

 tail are often present in H. tahitica, though in a reduced form ; and a re-examination of the 

 specimens in the British Museum, along with the series in the collections of Mr. Lister and 

 Mr. Seebohm, has convinced us that the latter gentleman is quite correct in his statements. 



As will be seen below, the presence or absence of white spots on the tail is not a character 

 which is accompanied by any coincident feature of peculiar geographical distribution, nor are 

 the spots on the tail-feathers always to be found equally developed on each side of the tail, as the 

 following list will show : — 



«. Specimens without any trace of white on the tail-feathers. 



a. J". Ovalau (E. L. Laijard). 



b. cJ. Ovalau {E. L. Layard). 



c. ^ . Matula. {Voy. H.M.S.'Challenffer'). 



d. ^. Kandavn {E. L. Layard). 



e. ? . Api, New Hebrides (l^oy. H.M.S. 'Challenger '). 

 /. Ad. New Britain [Dr. Klein s chmi dt) . 



g. ? . Guadalcanal', Solomon Islands [C. M. Woodford) . 



I3. Specimens with faint spots of white on the inner web of the tail-feathers. 



a. ? . Ovalau [E. L. Layard) . — An indistinct spot on penultimate feather on both sides of tail. 



b. ^ . Levuka {E. L. Layard). — White spot indistinct on right penultimate feather, indistinct on 



penultimate feather of left side, but quite distinct on second and third feathers of left side. 



c. 5 . ]Matnka [Voy. H.M.S. 'Challenger'). — Spot distinct on right penultimate feather of right 



side, but scarcely visible on left penultimate feather. 



d. ? . Kandavu [Voy. H.M.S. 'Challenger'). — A small spot visible on right outer feather. 



e. 5f . Moala (7*. M. Rayner). — A tiny spot on outer feather. 



/. (J. Nomuka-iki (./. J. Lister). — A white spot faintly indicated on the three outermost feathers of 



right side and on the penultimate feather of left. 

 g. ? . Nomuka-iki (./. J. Lister). — -A white spot scarcely visible on the two outside feathers of right 



side and on the penultimate feather of left. 



