Abstract
THE eighth part of the “Journal des Muséum Godeffroy,” which has been lately issued at Hamburg, contains an interesting article upon the Birds of the Pelew Islands, from the pen of the well-known ornithologist, Dr. Otto Finsch, of Bremen. This group of islands, until recently almost unknown to naturalists, has of late years been visited by several collectors in the employment of the House of Godeffroy, who have transmitted to Europe full series of specimens of its natural productions. Dr. Finsch, in conjunction with Dr. Hartlaub, has already published various notices of these collections, and given descriptions of several new and most interesting species which they contained. The present memoir gives a résumé of the previous articles, and adds a complete account of all that is yet known concerning the ornithology of this far-removed group of islands. The total number of species of birds as yet ascertained to occur within their limits is fifty-six, of which twelve are peculiar to the group, and are not known to be found elsewhere. Perhaps one of the most remarkable facts connected with the ornithology of the Pelew Islands is the occurrence of a Jungle Fowl (Gallus bankiva)—being the species generally recognised as the original of our domestic fowl—in a wild state. It is possible, however, that this may be an introduction. It is singular also to note that the Nicobar Pigeon (Calœnas nicobarica) has spread thus far to the west. Noteworthy again is the entire absence, so far as is hitherto known, of parrots and finches in these islands. Dr. Finsch's excellent text furnishes complete details upon these and other points of interest, and contains full authorities for the occurrence of all the species attributed to the avifauna of the Pelew Islands. Five well-executed coloured plates give illustrations of some of the rarer species and adorn the work. Of the physical features of these islands an account has already appeared in a former number of the same journal, together with an excellent map of the group.
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The Birds of the Pelew Islands * . Nature 13, 152 (1875). https://doi.org/10.1038/013152a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/013152a0