MERULA PRITZBUERI (Е 1. çL C: Layard). 
LIFU OUZEL. 
Turdus pritzbueri, E. L. & L. C. Layard, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (5) i. p. 374 (1878); Tristr. 
Ibis, 1879, p. 187, pl. v. 
Merula pritzbueri, Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. iii. p. 937 (1879) ; Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. 
Mus. v. p. 256 (1881) ; Wiglesw. Aves Polyn. p. 38 (1891). | 
М. rostro et pedibus flavis: пофео et gastreeo nigris: subcaudalibus nigris, minime albo striatis: capite toto 
colloque, ut et gutture et preepectore lactescenti-grisescentibus. 
SPECIMENS of this Ouzel were procured by the late John Macgillivray at Port Resolution, in the 
island of Tanna, one of the New Hebrides Group, in 1859. One of them was sold to the late 
T. C. Eyton, and was purchased after his death by the British Museum. | 
The species, however, was not described 441-1878, when Messrs, E. L. and L. C. Layard 
procured some examples on the island of Lifu in the Loyalty Group, and named it after Admiral 
Пе Pritzbuer, the Governor of the islands. It is not found on Maré, where M. mareensis takes its 
place, but is believed to occur on St. Bartholomew (L. C. Layard, Ibis, 1878, p. 271). 
M. pritzbueri is very closely allied to М. tempesti and M. poliocephala, but is distinguished from 
the latter species by its uniform black under tail-coverts. Like M. tempesti and М. canescens it has 
а pale greyish head, neck, and throat, which contrast with the black of the upper and under parts. 
This grey, however, is of a creamy tinge and is not so ashy as in the allied species, though this refers 
only to the adult male, as the colour of the females and young birds is very dark, and there is a 
great deal of difference between them and the old male. 
The Messrs. Layard write :—* M. pritzbueri is а most shy and wary species, and occupied our 
native hunter, in his * nature's garb,’ all his time to steal on them. ‘The least snap of a twig or rustle 
of a dry leaf, and off goes the suspicious quarry! We found males and females in full breeding 
сторуй in the middle of August, and also fully-fledged young birds in the spotted plumage of the 
well-known European Blackbird. Тһе thighs of М. pritzbueri are very stout and powerful, enabling 
it to progress over the ground with huge bounds. If a bird is only broken-winged, it is pretty sure 
to escape.in the underwood. It is called * Wathitha, the Maré bird being known under the 
appellation of * Wassassé’ on its own island. These Thrushes feed on insects and worms, and are 
very fond of searching about the deserted native plantations. We never heard them sing, but they 
invariably utter the well-known metallie chink-chink-chink when hurriedly taking flight on being 
alarmed.” | 
Mr. Layard says :—“ On taking a specimen to a resident of the Loyalty Islands, who is staying 
with my next-door neighbour (his brother-in-law), his wife exclaimed, ‘Oh! we eat lots of those; 
they are splendid *'gibier"'; and his servant, a Lifu man, standing by, added, ‘Him scrape on 
ground, all same fowl; we call him * Wassassa.”’” This also seems to be the native name of the 
Maré Ouzel (vide suprà). 
Adult male. General colour above sooty-black, including the wings and tail; crown of head and 
N 2 
