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Show 352 ON BIRDS FROM THE SAMOA ISLANDS. [Mar. 19, be found in the * South-Pacific Directory,' 3rd edition, p. 627(London, 1871). The two species of birds of this island represented are,- APLONIS VITIENSIS, Layard, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 502. Aplonis tavuensis, F. & H. Faun. Centr.-Polyn. p. 103, t. x. f. 2 (nee Gmelin). One skin of this species, agreeing with skins from Fiji in the British Museum, and others from the same islands in the ' Challenger' collections, determined by Dr. Finsch as "Aplonis vitiensis, Lay." (conf. Finsch, P.Z.S. 1877, p. 735). The native name is given as "Husila." MYZOMELA CHERMESINA, G. R. Gray, G. B. i. pl. 38; id. Cat. B. Trop. Islands, p. 11. This species was figured by Mitchell in the ' Genera of Birds,' but not described ; nor was any locality mentioned for it in the list of species of Myzomela in the same work. Bonaparte, however, in his 'Conspectus,' gave " New Guinea" as the habitat, though what reason for this he had, other than that at that time " Nova Guinea" was a convenient "refuge for the destitute," is not known. The figure in the ' Genera' represents a bird with a uniform scarlet under surface; but fortunately the original specimen is still in existence, mounted in the Bird Gallery of the British Museum. Two specimens of a Myzomela, certainly distinct from any other known as inhabiting the Pacific Islands, were contained in Mr. Brown's collection from Rotumah; and a look at Gray's figure sufficed to indicate considerable differences between the two birds. On examining, however, Gray's type of his M. chermesina, it became evident at once that the two birds were really identical, and that the apparent difference, consisting in the belly and vent being of a uniform red in the plate, instead of a brownish-black, was due to a mistake on the artist's part. As Myzomela chermesina has not yet been described, and is irrecognizable from Gray's figure, I herewith proceed to give a diagnosis and description. MYZOMELA CHERMESINA, G. R. Gray, Gen. B. i. pl. 38; id. B. Trop. Isl. Pacif. p. 11 ; Bp. Consp. Av. i. p. 394. sp. 3 ("exNova Guinea"!) ; Gray, Handl. B. i, p. 154. no. 1989 ("New Guinea? ";. o* (ad. 1). Fusco-nigricans, alis caudaque nitore nonnullo metal-lico; mento, gula, pectore lateribusque abdominis, cum dorso uropygioepie, nitide coccineis, j)lumis basi niyris; rostro niyro, pedibus brunneo-corneis. Long. tot. circa 4\, rostr. -|, al. caud. 2 (poll. Angl.). Male. Fuscous-black ; interscapulars and wing-coverts darker, and with a slight metallic gloss, which extends onto the tail; primaries browner, the internal web narrowly margined with whitish, except at tip ; wings beneath pale greyish-brown ; chin, throat, breast, sides of belly till near legs, back, rump, and upper tail-coverts shining crimson-scarlet, the feathers black at base; beak black ; legs dark horn-colour. |