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Volume 7, 1874
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Notes on Hutton's Catalogue of the Marine Mollusca of New Zealand.

By Dr. Ed. von Martens. Communicated by Dr. Hector

W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., Vice-President, in the chair.

1.

“Some further Proofs as to the ancient Cook Strait River, and the Harbour of Wellington as a Fresh-water Lake; also, a Consideration of the Date at which the Islands were united,” by J. C. Crawford, F.G.S. (Transactions, p. 451.)
2.

“Notes on Hutton's Catalogue of the Marine Mollusca of New Zealand,” by Dr. Ed. von Martens, of Berlin; communicated by Dr. Hector.
3.

“On some Additions to the Collection of Birds in the Colonial Museum,” by Walter L. Buller, D.Sc., F.L.S., etc. (Transactions, p. 224.)

This paper noticed several additions to the list of New Zealand species which had not been hitherto recorded, and called attention to some peculiarities of colouration in specimens of Anas superciliosa and Phalacrocorax brevirostris, which were exhibited.

Sir David Munro observed that one of the acclimatization societies in the colony proposed to introduce the Swallow. It might be interesting to know that Swallows had been seen several times in Nelson, but that they did not remain there, probably on account of their not being able to procure proper food.

Dr. Buller read an extract from page 142 of his work, “The Birds of New Zealand,” which proved that a Swallow which had been shot near Cape Farewell, New Zealand, was identical with the Tree Swallow (Hylochelidon nigricans) of Australia.

The extract read continued as follows:—“Mr. Gould informs us that in its own country it is a migratory species, visiting the southern portions of Australia and Tasmania, arriving in August and retiring northwards as autumn advances. In the summer of 1851, Mr. F. Jollie observed a flight of Swallows at Wakapuaka, in the vicinity of Nelson, and succeeded in shooting one, thus placing the matter beyond all question. There can be no doubt that these occasional visitants are stragglers from the Australian continent, and

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that to reach our country they perform a pilgrimage on the wing of upwards of a thousand miles!"

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