OCR Text |
Show 1877.] BIRDS OF TONGATABU, FIJI, ETC. 729 by green ; none of them have red spots on the rump, such as sometimes shown in P. tabuensis. The size varies a good deal; wings 8" to 8" 8'". Mr. Layard (Ibis, 1876, p. 141) points out the characters of four different races of this Parrot occurring in the Fijis :- (1) the bright crimson-bellied race, with broad blue collar, from Viti-Levu and Kandavu, being the true Platycercus splendens, Peale ; (2) the Mathuata race, " maroon-bellied," with broad blue nuchal collar; (3) the Koro race, maroon-bellied with the faintest trace of the blue collar; and (4) the Taviuni race (P. taviunensis, Layard), " maroon-coloured and without a trace of the blue collar." Of these I have before me only one specimen from Taviuni, which, indeed, differs strongly from P. splendens. It has the same dark maroon-purplish coloration as P. tabuensis, and wants the blue neck-collar ; besides it is considerably smaller (wings 7" 8'")- As I have become convinced by a large series of A. tabuensis that in this species the blue collar is also sometimes almost wanting, I think this cannot form a specific character, even less than the purplish-red spots on the rump, which vary individually. If the smaller size should turn out to be constant, this dark form ought to be separated from the nearest-allied A. tabuensis under the name of A. annce, Bourj. (P. taviunensis, Layard). 3. PLATYCERCUS PERSONATUS, G. R. Gray. Platycercus personatus, Finsch, Mon. Pap. ii. p. 239; Layard, P.Z.S. 1875, p. 425. No. 78. Levuka. Female. "Eyes orange, with streaks of red; bill and legs black. This bird was purchased alive." 4. DOMICELLA SOLITARIA (Gm.). Domicella solitaria, Finsch, Mon. Papag. ii. p. 760. Lorius solitarius, F. & H. Orn. Central-Polyn. p. 23; Layard, P.Z.S. 1875, p. 426. No. 37. Matuka. Female. 38. „ Female. 39. „ Female. 40. „ Male. " These birds were not common, although when they were seen a good number were in company. Eyes red and yellow." ' No. 89. Kandavu. Male. " Eyes red; bill and legs yellow; stomach contained fruit." No. 99. Kandavu. Female. " Shot August 6." 100. „ Male „ 5. CUCULUS SIMUS, Peale. Cuculus simus, F. & H. Ornith. Central-Polyn. p. 28; Layard, P.Z.S. 1875, p. 426. No. 90. Kandavu. " Upper mandible and margin of lower black, |