this characteristic is without specific value, P. dichrous could perhaps 
he assigned to obscurus. Up to the present we have seen only one example 
among those sent by Dr. Griffe. This came from McKeans Island, Phoenix 
group. The species breeds here and lays a white, oblong, oval egg under 
holes in rocks (Gr&ffe). 
One individual from McKeans Island (Griffe) perfectly matched Gould*s 
description. The bird skin was as follows: bill horny blackish, feet light 
brownish, toes and webs light fawn-colored. 
Gould discovered this species on the west coast of Australia where 
it nested on many of the sandy Islands, on West Wallaby Island by name. 
McGillivray also found it on Lord Howes Island, and Dr. Griffe sent In an 
Individual from McKeans Island (Phoenix group). Its range has thus become 
quite extensive. 
Ph. phoenicurus breeds on most of these South Sea islands, as on the 
Masearenes (Rodriguez) and the islands in the southern half of the Red Sea 
(according to Riippell). Peale found it nesting in August in large numbers 
on Houden and Sydney Islands in the Paumotu group, Krefft in July on the 
Brampton Shoals to the east of Australia, Junge and McGillivray on Raines 
Island In the Torres Strait. Eggs — according to the latter scientist 
there are two eggs, while according to Peale there is usually only one. 
The egg is laid in niches in the coral or under clumps of grass. 
The long red tail feathers were formerly highly prized by the South 
Sea islanders, particularly the Tahitians, as ornamentation. They were also 
greatly sought after on the Sandwich Islands (Bloxh). 
be PWj&gw o.e^seA^A-5 - * ol 
The following localities have been definitely determined for this 
species: West Indies, Bermuda (Wedderb et Hurd), Tobago (Kirk), Martinique 
(Taylor), the coast of Peru (Tschud), Atlantic Ocean, the Island of As¬ 
cension (Acland), the Azores (Bolle); the west coast of Africa (Hartl), 
the Somali coast (von Heuglin); in Polynesia; New Caledonia (Gray), McKeans 
Island, Phoenix group, Viti and Samoa islands (Gr&ffe), the Friendly Is¬ 
lands (Gray), Society Islands (Gray), Paumotu group (Peale), Carolines 
(Gray), Palmerston and Christmas Island (Gray). 
~ ?o.ce€> oqS 
Young bird: (McKeans Island) almost as the preceeding, but many 
brown feathers on the back, and the rump thus appears an almost uniform 
brown; the upper tail-coverts are white with brown tip edges. 
Young bird (Texas?) Bremen Museum: the entire upper parts are al¬ 
most uniform brown, only on the shoulders, back and rump many white feathers 
appear, most of which however show a washed out brown spot in the middle. 
Many of the wing coverts have white tips; also the brown feathers of the 
front part of the throat; the rest of the under parts, along with the wing 
linings pure white* 
- 9 - 
