Birds of the Fiji Islands. 151 
ERYTHRURA PEALEI, Hart). 
This exquisite little Finch, instead of being, like other 
members of his family, an inhabitant of the open country, 
feeding on grass-seeds, is a dweller in the dense forest, fre- 
quenting the high trees and living on berries, such as the 
Orange Dove eats. I am now quite certain that the Finch 
I saw at Nandranga and Naudi, on the coast of Viti Levu, 
living in flocks in the deserted fields, was not this species, but 
another, probably Amadina optata, F. & H. I distinctly saw 
the red rump; and the cry was quite that of Amadina, and di- 
stinct from that of Hrythrura. The latter never goes in flocks ; 
and we rarely saw them except singly. 
MERULA VANICORENSIS, Quoy. 
This bird, though not included in Finsch and Hartlaub’s 
catalogue as a Fijian bird, has been sent me from Bua by 
Mr. Tempest, obtained, at an elevation of over 600 feet, at 
a place called Kandi. 
Curyse@na victor, Gould. | 
This gorgeous Dove is the glory of the forest of Taviuni, 
and, I now find, is more generally distributed over a certain 
range of country than I suspected. It certainly is found in 
Lanthala and Rambi islands, and on Vanua Levu, about Bua, 
Ndreketti, &c.; and this, coupled with the discovery of the 
other species of birds already alluded to in this paper as residing 
there, seems to point to the fact that at no very distant date 
(geologically speaking) these islands were joined together, and 
not, as now, separated by the straits of Somo-Somo. Those 
of ‘The Ibis’ brotherhood who have shot the “Cock of the 
Rock,’ can readily picture to themselves the “ flame” of the 
Orange Dove as he pursues some rival through the green 
forest—the eye fairly dazzled as the orange ball on golden 
wings turns and twists in the sunlight. Dull days do not 
suit him a bit, and he hides away and mopes, never uttering 
a sound; but with the bright sun he emerges from his retreat, 
and ‘‘clucks” to his green wife from many a “ cool retreat.” 
The young males never utter this sound, and would be mis- 
taken for females, but that the vent is more orange. . They 




