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Show 1890.j SPECIES OF THE GENUS MERULA. 667 MERULA VANUENSIS, nom. nov. Merula vanicorensis (Quoy et Gaimard), apud Layard, Ibis, 1876, p. 151. Merula vitiensis, Layard, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 4th ser. xvii. p. 305 (1876). The Vanua-Levu Ouzel was discovered by Mr. Tempest at Kandi, a small village 600 feet above the level of the sea, nearBuain Sandalwood Bay, on the west coast of Vanua-Levu. It was recorded as Merula vanicorensis under the erroneous impression that it was identical with the species said to have been obtained on the island of Vanikoro (Quoy et Gaimard, Voyage de l'Astrolabe, 1826-1829, Zool. i. p. 188). Shortly afterwards Mr. Layard discovered his error and described the species as new, but unfortunately adopted a name which must be abandoned as misleading. When Mr. Layard described the species it was the only Merula known from the Fiji Islands, and the name vitiensis was applied in a collective sense as denoting an inhabitant of the Fiji Islands. When it was found that two of the Fiji Islands were inhabited by other species the name became somewhat objectionable, but now that we discover that Viti-Levu is inhabited by a fourth species, which everybody has taken for granted to be Merula vitiensis, it is obvious that this name must be no longer used for the Vanua-Levu species, and I have accordingly proposed Merula vanuensis as a substitute. There are two examples (male and female) in the Layard Collection, which are the types both of Merula vitiensis and of Merula vanuensis. The British Museum does not possess a specimen of this species, but there is a female in the Tristram Collection. The Vanua-Levu Ouzel differs from its ally on Viti-Levu in the following particulars :-(a) The under tail-coverts of both sexes are uniform dark grey without pale shaft-streaks or pale tips. (6) The general colour of the upper parts of both sexes is darker and browner, much less olive, (c) It is a rather smaller bird, wing 4"2 to 4*4 inches instead of 4'3 to 4'5 inches, (d) The lower breast and flanks of the male and the lower breast of the female are of a duller chestnut colour, whilst the flanks of the female are brownish grey instead of dull orange-chestnut. MERULA LAYARDI, sp. nov. Merula vitiensis, Layard, apud Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. v. p. 278 (1881). The Viti-Levu Ouzel was probably discovered by Mr. Klein-schmidt in the interior of Viti-Levu, whence examples were sent to the Godeffroy Museum in Hamburg, but for want of an opportunity of comparing them with examples from Vanua-Levu they have been hitherto confounded with the allied species. I have two examples in m y collection, and there are two examples in the Tristram Collection ; but I prefer to make the two examples (male and female) in the British Museum the types of m y Merula layardi. It is much |
