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Show 782 DR. o. FINSCH ON BIRDS FROM NIUAFOU ISLAND. [Nov. 20, did not show any grey tinge on the sides of the head. Cf. 1872, p. 114. 27. GYGIS ALBA (Sparrm.); Finsch, /. c. p. 40. Recorded hy Von Kittlitz as seen by him near Ponape*. 28. PUFFINUS OBSCURUS (Gm.); Finsch, I. c. p. 40. Already sent by Mr. Kubary. 29. PHAETON CANDIDUS, Briss. Two males and one female; the sexes exactly alike; one male is tinged with very delicate rose-colour. The island of Ponape is a new locality for this widely distributed species. 4. O n a Collection of Birds from Niuafou Island, in the Pacific. By Dr. O T T O F I N S C H , C.M.Z.S., Director of the M u s e u m of Natural History of Bremen. [Eeceived September 26, 1877.] The island Niuafou (Nina-fou, Niua-fu, Niu-Afohu, Onuafu, Niufo, Nua-fou, or Hope or Prohy Island of the older maps), situated in lat. 18° 38' S. and long. 174° 55' W., halfway between the Navigators' and Viti groups, may be considered, although somewhat distant, as the most northern island of the Tonga or Friendly group. It was visited in 1866 by Dr. Graffe; but his investigation as regards ornithology did not much increase our knowledge, as he only informed us of the occurrence of one bird on it, a Megapode already mentioned by Dr. G. Bennett (P. Z. S. 1862, p. 247), and described afterwards by the late G. R. Gray as M. pritchardi (P.Z.S. 1864, p. 41). I was therefore pleased to receive, through the Museum Godeffroy of Hamburg, an extensive collection of birds from this interesting island, made by Mr. F. Hiibner, a young German collector recently engaged, for the exploration of the Pacific Islands, by Mr. Godeffroy. This collection raises the number of the known birds of this island from one one to fifteen ; but I am able to include from Mr. Hiibner's manuscript notes, kindly sent to me by Mr. Schmeltz, five species more, and make the total twenty species. It is worthy of remark that, according to Mr. Hiibner's notes, no members of the genera Ptilotis, Lalage, Halcyon, or Colluricincla, so well known to him on the Tonga Islands, occur on Niuafou. But it seems probable that further investigations will still add some more species, as the absence of peculiar species (except Megapodius stairi, which does not occur in Samoa and is confined to this island) is rather strange. 1. STRIX DELICATULA, Gould. Native name Lulu, Hiibner. One female; agrees in every respect with that from Eua. |