OCR Text |
Show 426 MR. E. L. LAYARD ON FIJIAN BIRDS. [June 1, This species is characterized by possessing a musky smell, resembling that of a he goat. I supposed it originated from the trees in the holes of which they breed ; but having obtained some very young birds, I noticed they did not smell. Since, however, that they have attained their full plumage the odious scent has come to them. They are easily reared, become very tame, and may be trusted with their liberty, foraging for themselves in the forest, and returning to roost to their old nursery. A young lady of my acquaintance has two which thus fly at liberty; and m y own birds keep to the house, and never dream of flying away. In certain lights their plumage is shot with a beautiful golden sheen, which becomes dim in a dead specimen. The iris changes from brown in the nestling to a brick-red with a dash of orange in it in the adult; the bill is dark horn-colour, with a whitish tip; the feet livid black. In habits they resemble the former species, and keep to the same description of country, forest and wooded river-banks. Breed in holes of trees, and lay two eggs; axis 1""6"', diam. 1" 3'". Called " V a n g a " at Bua (Holmes). The nestling of this Parrot is green above, feathers here and there tipped with white down ; black on the face scarcely showing. Body covered with black down, with a row of bright yellow feathers changing into orange on the belly and vent on each side ; outside the yellow cere a few green feathers appearing. Bill horn-colour, with the edges, tips, and bases of mandibles orange. Thighs nearly naked. Tarsi livid. Iris brown. LORIUS SOLITARIUS (Lath.) ; F. & H. op. cit. p. 23. This lovely little bird, called " Kula " by the natives (and solitarius by Latham, " because it is never seen alone"), is found throughout the islands, its favourite food being the flowers of the Erythrina when in bloom, or those of the cocoa-nut when others fail. The collector, if he wants these little beauties, need only seek some tree in flower on which they feed, and sooner or later every flock in the district will visit it. I have heard of sixteen being killed off one tree in a morning's shooting. They are trapped in great numbers by the natives for sale to the Tongans and Samoans, who periodically pluck them, their crimson feathers being much used for ornamentation. Europeans find much difficulty in keeping them alive, even for a short period; but I a m told the native girls chew sugar-cane and berries, and allow the birds to feed from their lips. CUCULUS SIMUS, Peale; F. & H. op. cit. p. 28. This rare Cuckoo was obtained (a single specimen) by the • Challenger' Expedition at Kandavu early in August; two individuals were killed on Taviuni by Mr. Liardet in November; and Mr. Storck procured for m e a pair consisting of a young male and a female in January 1875. He says they frequent the darkest, densest portion of the forest, and only betray their whereabouts by their whistling notes. |