MERULA SAMOENSIS, Tristram. 
SAMOAN BLACK OUZEL. 
Turdus vanikorensis (nec Quoy & Gaimard), Peale, U.S. Expl. Exped., Birds, p. 95 (1848). 
Merula vanikorensis (nec Quoy & Gaimard), Cassin, U.S. Expl. Exped., Orn. р. 158 (1858); 
Finsch & Hartl. Faun. Centralpolyn. p. 97 (1867). 
Turdus (Merula) vanicorensis (nec Quoy & Gaimard), Gray, B. Trop. Isl. Pacific Ocean, p. 16 
(1859, pt.). 
Turdus vanicorensis (nec Quoy & Gaimard), Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 255. no. 3710 (1869, pt.). 
Turdus samoensis, Tristram, Ibis, 1879, p. 188. 
Merula samoensis, Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. v. p. 242 (1881); Wiglesw. Aves Polyn. 
(Abhandl. k. Mus. Dresden, 1890-91, по. 6), р. 89 (1892). 
M. minor: ala 875-421 poll.: rostro et pedibus flavis: nigricans, foeminá brunnescentiore: gutture haud fusco 
striato. 
Tuis small species appears to be confined to the Samoan or Navigators' Islands, where it was obtained 
by Peale at Alua, in the interior of the island of Upolu. He states that it inhabits the shady and 
retired parts of the forests of the Samoan Islands, and is said to sing with a powerful and sweet 
volce. | 
The Rev. S. J. Whitmee states that the native name in Upolu for this Ouzel is “ Tútúmalili.” He 
gives the following note on the species :—“ Common in the bush. "There is no living object in Samoa 
which gives me so much of home feeling as this bird. It flies low before one for short distances, 
with the peculiar Blackbird note, exactly as its congener does along the English hedgerows. Тһе 
only thing lacking is the English Blackbird's song. Its nest is very similar to that of the English 
Blackbird, except that it is rather smaller, to suit the smaller size of the bird; and, unless my memory 
fails me since my birds’-nesting days, the eggs of thé two might almost be interchanged without the 
etror being detected, except that the Samoan egg is perhaps the smaller of the two. Тһе figure of 
the egg in Finsch and Hartlaub's work is very incorrect." (Ibis, 1875, p. 439.) 
Canon Tristram very properly separated the Samoan Ouzel under a distinct name, for it had 
hitherto been identified with the Merula vanicorensis of Quoy and Gaimard from Vanikoro, and it is 
quite unlikely that the Ouzels from these two localitie$ would be identical. 
Eggs collected by Mr. Whitmee are of two types, and vary considerably in size. In one form 
the ground-colour is light bluish-green, thickly spotted and flecked with pale reddish-brown and with 
faint greyish-brown underlying spots. In the otber type the ground-colour is of a stone-colour or 
light bluish, against which the pale rufous spots and flecks are more in contrast, and show up rather 
more plainly than in the bluish-green type. Axis 1:1-1:3 inch, diam. 0:8-0:9. 
Adult male. Sooty-black above and below, a little duller on the under surface: * bill orange; 
feet brownish-orange; iris dark brown” (E. L. Layard). Total length 7:5 inches, culmen 0:8 
wing 4:2, tail 2:8, tarsus 15. 
