4 
It. COLLETT. 
[No. 6. 
JPctroeca siniilis, Gray 1859. 
Petroeca siniilis. Gray, Cat. B. Trop. Isl. Pac. Ocean, p. 15 (1859). 
Petroeca siniilis , Sharpe, Cat.B. Brit. Mus. Vol. IV (Fam. Muscicapidae), 
p. 169 (1879); Wiglesworth, Av. Polyn. p. 24 (1891). 
1 Specimen. 
Adult. Length of Wing, 60 mm.; Tail, 39 mm. 
It appears to be closely allied to P. pusilla , Peale 1848 
(from Samoa and Fiji), and whether it is a distinct species is 
doubtful. The specimen is very dark in colour: the entire head 
and neck being almost black (but with a distinct sooty hue). 
The rump has traces of a white cross-band, as in P. pusilla. 
Native name: Mann-miala (matin is bird, miala red). 
It feeds on flies and small moths. According to the natives it 
builds its nest on the branches of moss, bound together with 
cobweb, and lays two eggs. 
PJrythmra regia, (Scl.) 1881. 
Erythrospiza regia, Scl. Ibis 1881, p. 544, PI. XV, Fig. 2 (1881). 
Ergthrura regia, Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. Vol. XIII (Fam. Ploceidae), 
j). 385 (1890); Wiglesworth, Av. Polyn. p. 42 (1891). 
2 Specimens , (and 3 eggs). 
A. Length of Wing, 63 mm.; Tail, 35 mm. 
P. „ „ 62 „ „ 32 „ 
To the description of Dr. Sclater may be added that, the 
secondaries on outer web, and the tertials on both webs are 
largely bordered with blue. 
Native name: Ta-mahalida or Ta-puti. Ta means to peck, 
Ta-mahalida indicating the peculiar manner in which it pecks 
at the small tigs which compose its food. Ta-puti signifies also, 
that it pulls up grass by the root. This is used in the con¬ 
struction of its large nest which has a litttle round hole in 
the side. 
The nest contains 3 to 4 eggs. A clutch of eggs, said to 
belong to this species, was comprised in the collection; the 
eggs were white without gloss. (Length, 19 mm., breadth, 15 mm.). 
