THE BIRDS OF THE FIJI ISLANDS. 395 



PACHYCEPHALA TORQUATA (Layard), sp. nov. 

 (Plate LXXIV.) 



Mr. E. L. Layard says (Ibis, 1876, 3rd ser. vol. vi. pp. 146, 147) : — 



" This, another new species, is not uncommon in the forests of 

 Taviuni* — perhaps on account of its loud and varied voice betraying it 

 oftener than that of other birds. If you listen attentively, you will probably 

 hear a kind of running bass accompaniment of 'purr purr.' This comes 

 from its mate, a little brown bird. The family are like the female, the very 

 young ones being redder. As the young males grow up, the glorious yellow 

 livery in which the adult rejoices is put on in patches, generally beginning 

 with a yellow moustache on each side of the mouth. 



''And now for a further inquiry into species or varieties. What are 

 the four birds we have here (1. Pachycephala graffii, Hartl. ; 2. P. vitiensis, 

 Gray ; 3. P, icteroides, Peale ; 4. P. torquata, Layard) ? Are they species or 

 varieties ? 



"As far as I know, my P, torquata is confined exclusively to Taviuni. 

 The yellow of the underparts is extremely rich, and crossed by a broad black 

 collar ; the voice differs from all the others. P. vitiensis is much paler, and 

 the throat paler still (Finsch and Hartlaub say ' white ;' but I have not seen 

 it so), and separated from the other yellow by a narrow black collar. It is 

 found in Viti Levu, not elsewhere that I know of yet. P. icteroides has no 

 collar, and is paler than either of the two last. I fancy some specimens look 

 as if they were assuming collars, a few black spots appearing on the neck. 



^ ['^^ Taviuni^ or Somo-somo^ as it is also called, from its chief town, is about twenty-five miles 

 long, and of an average breadth of nine. The mountain-range which traverses it is covered with 

 forest. Eain is constant.'' — Pearls of the Pacific^ by J. W. Boddam-Whbtham, p. 325. 



'' Suva, on the S. coast of Viti Levu, is the future capital of Fiji/' — Times, May 12th, 1877. 



Editor of O. M.] 



