318 



ORNITHOLOGY. 



Group, in the month of September, when they had become exceedingly 

 fat by feeding on the berries of a species of Canthium, then very plenty. 

 They were rather tame, and uttered a clear plaintive w^iistle, when 

 flushed." 



This is one of the most remarkable birds discovered during the 

 voyage of the Expedition. It is represented in our plate, cited above, 

 of the size of life. 



5. Genus TOTANUS, Bcchsteui, Oruith. Tasch. p. 282 (1802). 

 1. ToTANUs ocEANicus, Lesson. 



Totumts oceanicus, Lesson, Comp. aux (Euv. de Buff. p. 244 (1847). 

 Toianus polynesice, Peale, Zool. U. S. Exp. Exp. Birds, p. 237 (1848). 

 Totanus pulvendentus, Muller, Verhandelingen, p. 153 (1814)? 

 Scolojmx undulata, Forster, Disc. An. p. 173 (1844). 

 Totanus fuliginosus, GouLD, Voy. Beagle, Birds, p. 130 (1841) ? 



Temra. and Schleg. Faun. Japon. Birds, Plate LXV^ ? 



Of this species, specimens from various islands in the Pacific are in 

 the collection, and though they vary somewhat in size, do not, to us, 

 present any reliable distinctive characters. Nearly all of them are in 

 immature plumage, but several specimens are very nearly as described 

 by Lesson in his notice of this species, as above cited. 



Those having the appearance of the more mature plumage, are as 

 follows : Entire upper parts, neck before, breast, and sides, dark lead- 

 colored, uniform, and without white marks; throat, middle of the 

 abdomen, ventral region, and under tail-coverts, white. Under wing- 

 coverts white, spotted, and barred with dark lead-color. A stripe of 

 white running from the base of the bill over the eye ; lores dark ashy 

 brown ; eye inclosed in a narrow circle of white. Quills dark brown ; 

 shaft of the first primary white on its upper surface; shafts of other 

 primaries reddish-brown (on their upper surfaces), and of all on their 

 under surfaces white. Tail lead-colored, uniform with the upper parts 

 of the body ; shafts of the tail-feathers lead-colored above, white be- 

 neath. Wings long, pointed, first primary longest ; secondaries short, 

 truncate, emarginate ; tertiaries long ; tarsi and toes rather short ; 

 tibia feathered for about two-thirds of its length. 



