DEER-SHOOTING AND OTHER MATTERS. 107 



janthina) is most common on the western islands — in 

 fact, I never saw one on the mainland. I think 

 it is a bird which lives almost, if not entirely, on 

 fruit. Although by no means rare, it was years be- 

 fore I saw one. I accounted for this by finding it was 

 a shy wary bird, and almost always remained in the 

 trees that grew on the very steepest banks on the sides 

 of the islands. Amongst the numerous gulls which 

 either visit or reside on the coasts, Larus crassirostris 

 is, I think, the most interesting. All large species of 

 gull that I know of when mature have the tail white ; 

 this bird is an exception, having a broad black band 

 across the otherwise pure white feathers. I found 

 them breeding on the low rocks which surrounded an 

 island at the entrance to Awari Gulf. There is a 

 species of finch found in the north, Pyrrhula rosea, Tem., 

 which (both male and female) has a very pretty plum- 

 age. I called it the scarlet-finch for want of a better 

 name. The head feathers are of a rosy-red hue, with 

 the end of each feather tipped silvery white; breast 

 red, back much the same, the ground-colour being a 

 rich brown. I kept a couple of these birds in a cage 

 for a considerable time, but fearing they would not 

 retain the rosy tint if allowed to moult twice, I killed 

 them for their skins. Another bird, the little rose- 



