. The Ibis . birds resembled the adult in plumage; theiris, which at first was of a deep brown colour, changed toyellow when they were seven months old. They were infull moult on their arrival in this country, when they wereabout live months old. Pyrrhulopsis personatus (Gray). This species is peculiar to the island of Vitilevu ^, whenceit is fast disappearing. Large flocks used commonly to beseen round Suva and on the liewa Eiver. A few can still be seen in the mangrove-swamps whichborder the harbour at Suva. After the hurricane in Marchfive frequented our garden for a few days. The specimenw
. The Ibis . birds resembled the adult in plumage; theiris, which at first was of a deep brown colour, changed toyellow when they were seven months old. They were infull moult on their arrival in this country, when they wereabout live months old. Pyrrhulopsis personatus (Gray). This species is peculiar to the island of Vitilevu ^, whenceit is fast disappearing. Large flocks used commonly to beseen round Suva and on the liewa Eiver. A few can still be seen in the mangrove-swamps whichborder the harbour at Suva. After the hurricane in Marchfive frequented our garden for a few days. The specimenwhich I then shot was in moult and was covered withfeather-lice, especicilly on the head. It is said that noyoung have been taken by the natives for years, and t -sequently the bird is now seldom seen in captivity. Ipossessed one which was taken as a nestling on the Rewa * Dr. Finsch procured a specimen alive at Levuka (P. Z. S. 1877,p. 729), where it had probably been brought from Vitilevu. Ibis. 1912. West Kewinan inijD CALLIPTILUS SOLITARIUS. Avifauna of the Fiji Islands. 293 River several years before. I kept it in captivity for nearlya year, but it died a short time before I left. This specieshas a peculiar goat-like odour, which is very noticeablein the skins, and this made my bird less attractive as a petthan it otherwise would have been. The cry is peculiarly harsh. My captive bird neverlearned to talk; it had a peculiar cackling note, utteredduring the night-time, which was quite distinct from that ofthe other species. Of the rarer birds peculiar to Fiji this will be the first tobecome extinct at no very distant date. [ ? adult. March 29, 1910. Suva, Vitilevu. Thisspecimen is just finishing its moult of body-feathers 230 mm.; tail 233; tarsus 22 ; bill 25 *.—C. B. T.] Calliptilus solitarius. (Plate V.)CaUiptilus solitarius Salvad. Cat. Birds, xx. p. Kula of the natives was dubbed solitarius byLatham, though, like previous obse
Size: 1247px × 2004px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1859
