158 



ORNITHOLOGY. 



Fuego, just fully grown in the month of February. Their size, voice, 

 and general appearance are so much like the Robin of North America, 

 that few of our officers could be persuaded that they were not identical." 



,3. Merula vanikorensis [Quoy and Gaimard). 



Turdus vanikorensis, QuoY AND Gaimard, Voy. Astrolabe, Zoology I, p. 188 

 (1830). 



Yoy. Astrolabe, Birds, Plate VII, fig. 2. 



Form. — Bill large, wide at base ; wing long, first primary rudimentary ; 

 fourth slightly longest; tail moderate, rather short; tarsi and toes 

 long ; claws strong, curved. General form short and compact. 



Dimensions. — Total length (of skin), about seven inches; wing, 

 four inches ; tail, three inches. 



Colors. — Adult male. Entire plumage black, primaries slightly 

 tinged and edged with brown. Bill, tarsi, and toes yellow. 



Hab. — Samoan Islands. Specimen in Nat. Mus. Washington. 



A single specimen of this bird is in the collection of the Expedition. 

 It is apparently in perfectly adult plumage, and as described above, is 

 entirely black. The figure in the Atlas to the Zoology of the Voyage 

 of the Astrolabe seems to represent this species in a less mature stage 

 of plumage, having the under parts more tinged with brown, and the 

 inferior coverts of the tail with lines of white. In other characters 

 and in general appearance the bird now before us agrees with the de- 

 scription and figure alluded to. 



The bill in this bird is remarkably strong, and its tarsi more dis- 

 proportionately lengthened than is usual in this genus. 



It is stated by Mr. Peale to have been obtained near the village of 

 Alua, in the interior of the Island of Upolu, on the fifth of November. 

 According to hira, " It inhabits the shady and retired parts of the 

 forests of the Samoan Islands, and is said to sing with a powerful and 

 sweet voice." 



