144 



ORNITHOLOGY. 



Specimens in the collection are from the Feejee and Samoan Islands, 

 and are, to us, not distinguishable from others from various islands of 

 the Malay Archipelago. This common species has evidently a very 

 extended range of locality. 



Mr. Peale remarks of this bird : 



" The voice of this species is a shrill whistle, and it mostly frequents 

 open grounds where there are a few scattered Pandanus trees, which 

 it seems to prefer. It is a common species on all the islands of 

 the Feejee Group. One specimen was obtained at Upolu, one of the 

 Samoan Islands. 



" The young birds differ from the adults in being of an umber-brown 

 color above, and in having numerous waved lines across the breast and 

 abdomen." 



Numerous specimens in good plumage and condition are in the col- 

 lection of the Expedition. 



2. Family MUSCICAPID^. 

 ,1. Genus MUSCIPETA, Cuvier, Reg. An. I, p. 344 (1817). 



1. MusciPETA RUFA [G. R. Gray). 



Tclv'ctrea rvfa, G. R. Gray, Annals and Magazine of Natural History, XI, p. 371 

 (1843). 



Gray, Gen. of Birds, I, Plate LXIV. 



PoRM. — Bill long, wide at base and strong; upper mandible at the 

 base with six or seven pairs of rather stiff, long bristles ; wing long, 

 fourth primary longest; tail long, with the central feathers but 

 slightly exceeding the others ; tarsi and toes, rather strong ; claws 

 rather strong, curved. Feathers of the head above somewhat rigid 

 and scale-like, probably erectile. 



Dimensions. — Total length, about eight and a half inches; wing, 

 three and three-fourths inches ; tail, four and a half inches ; bill, from 

 the gape, one inch. 



