OCR Text |
Show 1875.] MR. E. L. LAYARD ON FIJIAN BIRDS. 4 25 my son saw it hunting over grassy land, like the English Barn-Owl. I also have it from Ovalau. PLATYCERCUS TABUENSIS (Gmel.); F. & H. op. cit. p. 17. Non vidi. PLATYCERCUS SPLENDENS, Peale; F. & H. op. cit. p. 20. Common on Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Kandavu ; none on Soma, Loma, Mango, Thithia*, Munia, Naitamba, Ovalau, Wakaia, and Mokauai. I am inclined to think the Taviuni bird is either distinct or a local variety. It has more brown in its colour, some that I have seen being almost of a chocolate-crimson. Breeds in holes of trees, and lays two eggs, white, or so much stained as to appear reddish. I am not sure how this stain arises, whether from the parent bird or the bark with which the nest is lined. It occurs also in eggs oi P.personatus to such an extent that I mistook some eggs sent me for those of Astur cruentus, until assured by m y correspondent that he had only taken those of the Parrot. Axis 1" 5'", diam. 1" 2'". They are very noisy in their flight, and generally ramble about in small companies from five to ten in number, feeding on wild fruits and berries; in some places they do much harm to the fields of maize and sugar-cane. The natives account for the want of Parrots on Ovalau, Wakaia, and Mokauai, by a tradition that a god in the shape of a large serpent dwelt on the latter island, and wandered about, serpent-fashion, during the night. Of course he slept during the day, and his early morning slumbers were disturbed by the cries of the " early birds" among the Parrots ; he therefore issued an edict that they were all to die off these islands; and die they did ! He exempted the " Kulas " (Lorius solitarius, Lath.) from the ban, as their voices are not so loud; and therefore " here they dwell unto this day." The native name of both is " Kau-kau," or " Kaka," and on the Kewa " Ka-Ndamu," according to Mr. Storck. PLATYCERCUS PERSONATUS, G. R. Gray; F. & H. op. cit. p. 21. The same remarks as to distribution may be made with this species as with the last, except that since the annexation of these islands m y butler, who has been collecting for me in the upper ranges of this island (Ovalau), tells m e he has several times seen a small party of these birds, evidently " quite at home." Perhaps thev are aware that the old days have passed away, and that under the'British flag "liberty" and "equality" flourish; and so they have determined to set their old enemy the serpent at defiance, and come to reinhabit the homes of their ancestors. It will be interesting to note if the little new colony flourishes. * I spell the names of these places as they are pronounced, and not in the absurd fashion introduced by the missionaries when reducing the language to writing According to it, every D and G has an N before it, more or less sounded ; and T h is represented by C. Thus, Mang-o (the g belonging to the first syllable) is written Mago, and Thithia = Cicia. All the vowels in Fijian have the Italian sound : k stands for the hard c, as in " cat." |