238 



ORNITHOLOGY. 



however, another case of a form very nearly aUied to a species inhabit- 

 ing a different group of islands. Our specimen is moreover labelled as 

 a female. 



The bird now before us, resembles A. iahuensis, and has the same 

 nuchal collar, but the form of the tail appears in the prepared speci- 

 mens to be different, straight in the present species, curved in A. tahu- 

 ensis. Instead of the colors of that bird, the head and entire under 

 parts in this bird are light crimson, in which respect it approximates 

 to A. scapidatus, amhoinensis, and dorsalis, though without the blue on 

 the back, rump, or sides, by which, in some measure, they are charac- 

 terized. Our present bird has the back and rump green, uniform with 

 the color of the wings, without any vestige of blue whatever, and the 

 crimson of the head and under parts is not so hght as in the species 

 just mentioned. 



According to Mr. Peale, the bird immediately succeeding {Ajyros- 

 rn ictus personatm), is the young female of the present species. We 

 have, however, for reasons stated under that head, regarded it as dis- 

 tinct, and deem it more probable that we are either correct, or that it 

 is the young of Aprosmictus iahuensis, of which specimens are in the 

 collection of the Expedition from the same islands. If this species is 

 the same as Mr. Gray's species, his name is very probably entitled to 

 adoption, having been published in the Proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society of London, for January, 1848 (p. 21), and is accompanied by 

 a figure which is a faithful representation. 



In Mr. Peale's remarks on this species, we find the following : 

 " It was found inhabiting the shores of Peale's River, in the Island 

 of Viti Levu (Great Feejee), and first attracted our attention by its 

 remarkable flight as it passed the open spaces in the forest or crossed 

 the river. It flaps its wings three times and then soars a short dis- 

 tance, repeating at each soar its cry, cay-au, cay-au. When feeding, 

 it is generally silent." 



4. Aprosmictus personatus {G. R. Oray). 

 Coracopsis personata, G. R. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1848, p. 21 (January). 



Atlas, Ornithology, Plate XX. 



