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Show 726 DR. O. FINSCH ON THE [Nov. 6, "Shot July 21 and 22. These birds were very shy ; though we heard them frequently, it was very difficult to get a shot at them." -J. M. Of this species, which is peculiar to the Friendly group, a full description and characters of distinction from the Fijian and Navigators' Pt. fasciatus are given as cited above. 7. CARPOPHAGA PACIFICA (Gm.). Carpophaga pacifica, F. & H. Orn. Central-Polyn. p. 142 ; Journ. f. Ornith. 1870, p. 134 (Tonga); Layard, P.Z.S. 1875, p. 503 (Tonga). No. 18. Tongatabu. Male. Shot July 21. " This large pigeon ' coos' very like our pigeon at home. It appears to be common but shy. Eyes red."-J. M. No. 26. Tongatabu. Male. "Eyes red." 31. „ Female. 79. Samoa. Female. " Eyes and legs red. Presented alive by the Rev. George Brown." The sexes are alike in plumage; but the female is without the knob on the base of the bill, and exactly agrees with specimens from the Navigators' and the Fijis; the vinaceous tinge in the male birds seems to be more strongly developed during time of incubation. In our * Ornithology of Central Polynesia,' Dr. Hartlaub and I erroneously united C. oceanica, Less., with this species; but since then we have shown (P. Z. S. 1872, p. 101, and Journ. Mus. Godeffr. Heft viii. 1875, p. 26) that the latter is a distinct species, occurring in the islands of the Western Pacific. C. pacifica is confined to the Central-Polynesian Islands. 8. ARDEA SACRA, Gm. Ardea sacra, F. & H. Ornith. Central-Polyn. p. 201, Journ. f. Orn. 1870, p. 136 (Tonga) ; Layard, P. Z. S. 1875, p. 503 (Tonga). No. 19. Tongatabu. Female. " Eyes yellow." 20. „ Female, young. " Common on the reefs at low water; also met with in the woods through the island. Shot July 21."-/. M. No. 22. Tongatabu. Male. Shot July 22. No. 19 is white, assuming the slate-coloured dress from below and on the back ; slate-blue appanage in full development. No. 20. Slate-blue, with white chin-stripe; the scapular appanage in beginning of development. No. 22. White, sprinkled on the neck, back, and below with single slate-blue feathers ; no development of scapular appanage visible. On several occasions I have shown that the white dress in this Heron is not dependent upon age or sex, and that at present we are not able to explaiu the causes of these interesting differences in coloration satisfactorily. 9. PORPHYRIO SAMOENSIS, Peale. P. samoensis et P. vitiensis, Peale. |