Hanhart imp.
MERULA P R IT Z B U E R I (E. L . $ L. C. Layard).
L IEU OUZEL.
Turdus pritzbueri, E. L. & L. C. Layard, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (5) i. p. 374 (1878); Tristr.
Ibis, 1879, p. 187, pi. v.
Merula pritzbueri, Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. iii. p. 337 (1879); Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit.
Mus. v. p. 256 (1881); Wigíesw. Aves Polyn. p. 38 (1891).
M. rostro e t pedibus flavis: notaeo et gastrseo n ig ris: subcaudalibus nigris, minimé albo stria tis: capite toto
colloque, u t et gutture et praepectore lactescenti-grisescentibus.
Specimens o f this Ouzel were procured by the late John Macgillivray at Port Resolution, in the
island of Tanna, one of the New Hebrides Group, in 1859. One of them was sold to the late
T. C. Eyton, and was purchased after his death by the British Museum.
The species, however, was not described till 1878, when Messrs. E. L. and L. C. Layard
procured some examples on the island of Lifu in the Loyalty Group, and named it after Admiral
De Pritzbuer, the Governor of the islands. I t is not found on Mare, where M. mareensis takes its
place, but is believed to occur on St. Bartholomew (L. C. Layard, Ibis, 1878, p. 271).
M. pritzbueri is very closely allied to M. tempesti and M. poliocephala, but is distinguished from
the latter species by its uniform black, under tail-coverts. Like M. tempesti and M. canescens it has
a pale greyish head, neck, and throat, which contrast with the black of the upper and under parts.
This grey, however, is of a creamy tinge and is not so ashy as in the allied species, though this refers
only to the adult male, as the colour of the females and young birds is very dark, and there is a
great deal of difference between them and the old male.
The Messrs. Layard write M. pritzbueri is a most shy and wary species, and occupied our
native hunter, in his - nature’s garb,’ all his time to steal on them. The least snap of a twig or rustle
of a dry leaf, and off goes the suspicious quarry! We found males and females in full breeding
oTopyrj in the middle of August, and also fully-fledged young birds in the spotted plumage of the
well-known European Blackbird. The thighs of M. pritzbueri are very stout and powerful, enabling
it to progress over the ground with huge bounds. I f a bird is only broken-winged, it is pretty sure
to escape in the underwood. I t is called 4 Wathitha,’ the Maré bird being known under the
appellation of 4 Wassassé ’ on its own island. These Thrushes feed on insects and worms, and are
very fond of searching about the deserted native plantations. We never heard them sing, but they
invariably utter the well-known metallic chink-chinJc-chinJc when hurriedly taking flight on being
alarmed.”
Mr. Layard says :—44 On taking a specimen to a resident of the Loyalty Islands, who is staying
with my next-door neighbour (his brother-in-law), his wife exclaimed,4 O h ! we eat lots of those;
they aré splendid “ gibier ” ’; and his servant, a Lifu man, standing by, added, 4 Him scrape on
ground, all same fowl; we call him 4‘ Wassassa.” ’ ” This also seems to be the native name of the
Maré Ouzel (vide supra).
Adult male. General colour above sooty-black, including the wings and ta il; crown of head and
n 2