with blue, with a broad mark or band of dark brown near the end, tip pale brown, inner webs toothed with yellow, under side of tail feathers washed with yellow; lower part of back and upper tail coverts green, shaded with dark orange-red margined with brown; vent and under tail coverts yellowish green. Bill, following the curve from gape to point, 2 inches; wings from flexure 12 inches 9 lines; tail 7 inches 7 lines; tarsus 1 inch 7 lines; largest toe with nail 2 inches 3 lines; total length, from point of bill to extremity of tail, 21 inches. Female.—The plumage is rather duller than that of the male, the under nape of neck closely marked with dusky brown. Bill 2 inches; wings from flexure 12 inches 4 lines; tail 7 inches; tarsus 1 inch 5 lines; largest toe and nail 2 inches 3 lines; total length 20 inches 9 lines. Another male, procured in the same locality, presents no marked difference in plumage, but is rather smaller in dimensions. No. 56.—Stringops (Strigops) Habroptilus, Gray. Kakapo. Ground Parrot. Numbers of skins of this beautiful and remarkable Parrot have been received at the Canterbury Museum, from Westland, during the last two years. The size of the specimens varies; one of the finest gives the following dimensions :—Bill from gape 1 inch 7 lines; upper mandible at the greatest width 9 lines; wings from flexure 10 inches 7 lines; tail 7 inches 3 lines; tarsi 2 inches 3 lines; longest toe with claw 3 inches 3 lines; total length 29½ inches. An addled egg of the Kakapo was also received in the course of the last summer, the whiteness of the shell much discoloured; its shape is not unlike that of the kaka, the larger end being broad. Its length is 1 inch 11 lines, with a breadth of 1 inch 5 lines. No. 57.—Eudynamis Tahitiensis, Gml. Kohoperoa, Koekoea. Long-tailed Cuckoo. About midsummer is usually the time when we first hear the call of the Long-tailed Cuckoo, who annually pays us a very brief visit, departing, as we believe, before signs of autumn indicate that the waning power of summertide is nearly expended. It is not a rare occurrence for two or more of these handsome birds to be observed in company, or even disporting themselves in the same tree; this apparent sociability is perhaps really the effect of that remarkable instinct which guides migrants to so close an observance in the date of their annual arrival, and may thus account for several being seen together. We are not in a position to afford much information of its breeding habits, although we have had several opportunities of seeing, and also of examining,