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Show 1869.] BIRDS FROM THE TONGA ISLANDS. 545 fined to the Tonga Islands, viz. Platycercus tabuensis, Pachycephala jacquinoti, Ptilinopus porphyraceus, Rallus hypoleucus, and Megapodius burnabyi. Now, the museum of Mr. J. C. Godeffroy at Hamburg has been enriched of late by a small series of birds from the Tonga Islands, which has been submitted to our scientific examination. This collection comprises in the whole eleven species, the following three of which are additional to the above list:-Lalage terat, Ptilinopus perousii, and a very remarkable and typical new species of the genus Myiolestes. I. STRIX DELICATULA, Gould; Finsch et Hartl. Beitr. Orn. Centralpol. p. 11. One specimen in spirits. Agrees in every respect with our description. Long. al. caud. culm. tars. dig. med. gin 4n 2'" 9'" 2" 2'" 14'" 2. PLATYCERCUS TAHUENSIS, Gmel.; Finsch. et Hartl. /. c. p. 17- Five specimens, all deeply in moult. Chin and upper part of throat of a dark-brown colour, which deepens more or less into black. The colour of the under parts is rich and deep brownish purple, e ach feather having a green band across the middle ; the uropygium is in three of the specimens of a uniform green; in the two others the green feathers have red-brown margins; the fine blue nuchal collar is in one bird very distinct and broadly developed, in the four others it appears rather narrow. Long. al. caud. culm. tars. 8"3'"-9"2'" 7" 8"'-9" 3'" 11|-15'" 11-12'" 3. HALCYON SACRA, Gmel.; Finsch et Hartl. 1. c. p. 32. Six specimens. One in the adult plumage, as described by us on page 33. In the five others a fulvous ocular stripe and nuchal band are more or less distinctly visible; one bird has the wing-coverts narrowly but distinctly margined with ferruginous, and on the sides of the breast are faint traces of darker undulations. " Iris brown." Long. al. rectr. med. culm. tars. dig. med. 3*'8"'-4" 2" 6"'-2" 9'" 16^-17'" 7'" 8'" 4. PTILOTIS CARUNCULATA, Gmel.; Finsch et Hartl. /. c. p. 58. Three specimens. Not differing from our description; but the upper margin of the naked lobe of a fine sulphur-yellow. Very variable in size. Long. tot. al. caud. culm. tars. 7-8" 3"11'"-4"1'" 2"ll'"-3"3'" 9-10'" 13-14'" The relative length of the wing in these Tonga birds is rather curious. In nine specimens from the Samoan Islands the wing did not exceed 3" 8'". |