and presenting no trace of the beautiful buff-yellow so conspicuous in Sula serrator. It is also rather smaller, and the shape and colour of the bare skin at the base of the bill are different. In the masked gannet the bare skin extends a little beyond the corners of the mouth, and then crosses the throat in an almost straight line, while its colour in the adult bird is a deep blackish-blue. This dark colour contrasts vividly with the snow-white feathers of the head and neck, and is doubtless the reason why the bird has received the common name of the “masked gannet.” In Sula serrator the bare skin is continued under the throat for a considerable distance in the shape of a narrow triangular stripe, and its colour is a pale leaden-blue.

Like our species, it forms no true nest. On Curtis Island its single egg was placed in a slight depression among the scanty tufts of short grass which form the chief vegetation on the top of the island. The females are quite exposed while sitting on the nest, and from their white plumage form very conspicuous objects; but, as they are strong and powerful birds, well able to defend themselves from all enemies, their exposed position is probably no real disadvantage to them.

Few birds have a wider geographical range. Drs. Finsch and Hartlaub, in their well-known book on the avifauna of Central Polynesia, state that it has been found in the following localities: The Atlantic Ocean, near Ascension Island; the Red Sea; Cocos Island; the Straits of Sunda; Torres Straits and North Australia; Polynesia, from the Sandwich Islands southwards to Samoa, and westwards from the Paumotu group to the New Hebrides. It seems probable that it also exists on the coasts of both North and South America.

2. Gygis candida (Silky White Tern).

While conversing with Mr. Bell respecting the birds of Sunday Island he alluded to a small white tern which visits the island every November to breed. From his description of the plumage, & c., and account of its breeding-habits, I concluded that it would probably prove to be this species. During the last breeding-season Mr. Bell made further notes on it, and has now sent me these, together with specimens of the egg. As his notes, and the shape, size, and colour of the egg agree exactly with the published accounts of Gygis candida, I have now no hesitation in considering it to be that species. The bird, which is a most beautiful one, is rather smaller than our common tern (Sterna frontalis). It has a slender body, long wings, and deeply-excised tail. The whole of the plumage is pure-white, and of silky softness. The bill is long and curved slightly upwards, dark-blue at the base, shading off into black at the tip. Its breeding-habits are peculiar. Mr.

Cheeseman.—On Birds from the Kermadec Islands.

Bell writes, “It lays its solitary egg high up on the pohutukawa trees, on a horizontal branch not much thicker than a man's wrist. The bird sticks to the egg and keeps it in its place until it is hatched.” This statement is corroborated by what is known of its habits in some other localities. Mr. Cuming, the well-known conchologist, observed it on Elizabeth Island, and says, “It was breeding on a kind of pandanus, its single egg being deposited on the horizontal branches, in a depression which, although slight, was sufficient to retain it in position despite of the high winds and consequent oscillations to which it was subjected.” Mr. Cuming adds that the old birds were flying about in thousands like swarms of bees, and that he noticed several breeding on the same tree. Several young birds were observed lying dead on the ground, from which it appears that they frequently drop from their dangerous resting-place. However, it does not always breed on trees; for Dr. Graffe, a German collector, found it resting in hollows of the bare rock on one of the islands of the Phænix group.

Gygis candida is found throughout the whole of Polynesia, along the Australian coasts northwards to Torres Straits, and from thence through the Malay Archipelago to India. It has also been recorded from the west coast of Africa.

3. Phaeton rubricauda, Bodd (Red-tailed Tropic Bird).

This beautiful bird, so familiar to all voyagers in the warmer parts of Polynesia, has long been known to breed as near to New Zealand as Norfolk Island, and occasional stragglers are at long intervals captured by the Maoris residing near the North Cape, usually after a succession of heavy northerly gales. Few Europeans, however, have seen it in New Zealand waters, and the only specimen obtained, so far as I know, is one shot by Mr. Henry Mair near the Three Kings Islands, and now in the possession of Sir Walter Buller.

When at the Kermadec Islands last year Mr. Bell informed me that the tropic bird breeds regularly on Sunday Island, arriving in October and remaining until the close of summer. I therefore inserted the species in my list on his authority. I have now received from him several roughly-prepared skins and some eggs which prove that it has been correctly identified. Its appearance, habits, and geographical distribution are too well known to require mention here.

The following record of the temperature at Sunday Island in 1887–88 has been made by Mr. Bell, and forwarded by him to Mr. Percy Smith, Assistant Surveyor-General. As no meteorological observations of any kind have been pre-

Auckland Islands, and on the 25th January we anchored in Carnley Harbour. Having ascertained from Captain Fairchild that the vessel would not leave until the following evening, I at once prepared for an expedition to the hills, on which I was informed that albatrosses were then breeding; and at 4 o'clock in the morning the chief officer put me ashore. The first creatures I met were several sea-lions sleeping in the long grass, over which I almost fell. They gave discontented growls at being disturbed and driven from their lair, sitting up on their haunches and gazing at the intruder with their large eyes, showing their white canine teeth all the time. Moving onwards I had a dreadful scramble through dense low scrub interspersed with holes and swampy places, but at last I gained the hills above. My exertions caused me to suffer greatly, being far from well through overwork on the west coast of the South Island. After climbing over hills for about three miles I came to a slope where a colony of albatrosses had established a breeding-place. The birds were scattered about among the tussock-grass, sitting on their nests, and from their white plumage could be easily distinguished from the vegetation at a great distance. I found that their nests are always placed on sloping ground, and always on the most exposed side of the hill. They are composed of earth and grass cemented together, and are built in the form of a cone. They are usually about 2ft. in diameter and about 18in. high. Outside they are surrounded by a shallow drain, intended to carry off the surface-water. Within is placed a single egg. This is white, with a few brown spots on the broad end, and measures about 5·5in. in length by 3·lin. broad. In most cases I found the female on the nest, the male bird standing close to her, and occasionally feeding her. I noticed that sometimes the male relieved the female, but they never both leave the nest until the young one is able to defend itself against the skua gull (Lestris parasiticus). This rapacious bird devours every egg or nestling left unprotected. While taking the measurements of the first nest I came to I laid down the egg beside me, when a skua darted at it and destroyed it. They were so bold that they frequently came close enough for me to hit them with a stick.

On my approaching an albatross's nest the old bird seldom left it, but set up a croaking noise, clapping its mandibles together and biting at the intruder. After turning it off and taking away the egg, it returned and sat on the nest as before. The eggs were quite fresh on the 25th January, and good for eating when fried. There appears to be a difference in the time of laying at the different islands, for at Campbell Island, considerably to the south of the Auckland Islands, their eggs

matter is not the stranger's visit, but that it has not been recorded before this, for the Brown Gannet, or Booby (Sula fusca) has been obtained in nearly all the temperate regions of the globe, in many cases doubtless as a straggler; but now a specimen has been shot here in the bay, and is before you this evening very nicely preserved by Mr. Yuille. Mr. Smith, of the Masonic Hotel, has added the specimen to his collection, which is becoming extremely interesting and valuable. I have had considerable trouble in looking up any description of this species, which is common in the Atlantic, but at last found a good account in a work by Lathom, published in 1785, rather more than a hundred years ago. This I have transcribed, and have added a few particulars from other sources respecting the habits of the bird.

Lathom's “General Synopsis of Birds” (1785), Vol. iii., Pt. 2, p. 612. Common Booby:—

Pelecanus Sula. Lin. Syst., 1, p. 218, 7.

Le Fou. Briss. Orn., vi., p. 495, 1; Buf. Ois., viii., p. 368, pl. 29. Anseri Bassano congener fusca avis. Raü. Syn., p. 191, 6; Sloan, Jam., p. 322., t. 271, fig. 2.

Booby. Brown, Jam., p. 481; Catesby, Car. 1, pl. 87.

Description.—Size of the lesser gannet: length, 2ft. 6in. The bill nearly 4½in. long, toothed on the edges, and of a grey colour; base of it pale-brown; space round the eyes, and the chin, bare of feathers, and covered with a yellowish skin; irides pale-grey; the head, neck, upper parts of the body, wings and tail, cinereous-brown; the greater quills much the darkest; the tail brownish at the end, and in shape greatly cuneiform; the breast, belly, thighs, and vent white; legs pale-yellow; claws grey.

Catesby observes that these vary—some have white bellies, and others not—and that there is no perceivable difference between male and female. The young birds have the head and neck white, with a slight tinge of brown; but may be distinguished from having the feathers of those parts downy and soft, and not the usual texture.

Place.—Inhabits the Bahama Islands; and we believe likewise very common in many other parts of the world. One specimen came from Cayenne. It probably may be the sort mentioned by Dampier as being so plentiful in the Island of Aves, eight or nine leagues east of Buenos Ayres, which is described as a very simple creature, that will hardly go out of a man's way. These are said to build their nests on the ground in places where no trees grow, but make them on the last whenever they can be found. The flesh is black and fishy, yet is often eaten by the privateers. Is also met with in New Guinea.^* This has been seen at Kamtschatka;^† is found in the Faeroe Isles; and has also been met with on our own coasts [England] a few years since.^‡

The term “booby” is applied by navigators more particularly to the Brown Gannet (Sula fusca), which inhabits the desolate islands and coasts where the climate is warm, or even temperate, throughout the greater part of the globe. The apparent

parent stupidity of the boobies is proverbial: calmly waiting to be knocked on the head as they sit on shore, or perching on the yard of a ship till the sailor climbs to their resting-place and takes them off with his hand, they fall a prey to the most artless birdcatcher. Even Byron's shipwrecked wretches, though—

Stagnant on the sea,
They lay like carcasses,

“caught two boobies and a noddy;” and the incident actually did occur in Bligh's celebrated voyage consequent on the mutiny on board the “Bounty,” when he and his boat's crew were in a most deplorable state. “Monday, the 25th,” says Bligh, “at noon, some noddies came so near to us that one of them was caught by hand… In the evening, several boobies flying very near to us, we had the good fortune to catch one of them… I directed the bird to be killed for supper, and the blood to be given to three of the people who were most distressed for food; the body, beak, and feet I divided into eighteen shares… Tuesday, 26th, we caught another booby; so that Providence appeared to be relieving our wants in a most extraordinary manner. The people were overjoyed at this addition to their dinner, which was distributed in the same manner as on the preceding evening, giving the blood to those who were the most in want of food.”

Dampier says that on the Alcranes Islands (Alacranes), on the coast of Yucatan, the crowds of these birds were so great that he could not pass their haunts without being incommoded by their pecking. He observed that they were arranged in pairs, and conjectured that they were male and female. He succeeded in making some fly away by the blows he bestowed on them, but the greater part remained in spite of his efforts to compel them to take flight.

De Gennes, in his voyage to the Straits of Maghellan, says that in the Island of Ascension there were such quantities of boobies that the sailors killed five or six at a time with one blow of a stick.

The Vicomte de Querhoent says that the French soldiers killed an immense quantity on this same island, and that their loud cries when disturbed at night were quite overpowering.

This apparent exception to the general rule of self-preserving instinct is so remarkable that we are led to look for some cause, and perhaps this may be found in the structure of the animal; for, according to many writers whose veracity cannot be doubted, the boobies stay to be taken and killed after they have become familiar with the effect produced by the blows or shots of their persecutors.

In the case of most animals which, from not knowing his power, have suffered man to approach them to their destruction, alarm has been soon taken, the idea of danger has been speedily associated with his appearance, and safety has been sought in flight; but the wings of the booby are so long and its legs so short that, when once at rest on level ground, the bird has great difficulty in bringing the former into action, and when so surprised it has no resource but to put on a show of resistance with its beak, which is, to be sure, generally despised by its persecutor.

In the cases recorded by Bligh the birds were probably fatigued by wandering too far from the rocky shores which are their ordinary haunts. There they are generally to be seen constantly on the wing over the waves which beat at the foot of the crags, intent on fishing.

Though so well furnished with oars they are said to swim but seldom or never to dive. Their mode of taking their prey is by dashing down from on high with unerring aim upon those fishes which frequent the surface, and instantly rising again in the air. They walk with difficulty, and when at rest on land their attitude is nearly vertical, and they lean on the stiff feathers of the tail, like the cormorants, as a third point of support. The ledges of rocks or cliffs covered with herbage are the places generally selected for the nest, and there in great companies they lay their eggs, each hen bird laying from two to three. The young birds for some days after hatching are covered with a down so long and thick that they resemble powder-puffs made of swan's down.

The boobies seldom wander more than twenty leagues from land, to which they usually return every evening; and their appearance is considered by mariners as a sure token of their vicinity to some island or coast.

The colour of the Sula fusca, or Brown Booby, is blackish-brown or ashy-brown above and whitish beneath; the primaries are black, and the naked skin about the head is reddish; the orbits and base of the bill are yellow, and the point of the bill is brown; the legs are of a straw-colour. In length the brown booby is about 2ft. 5in, the bill measures 4½in. or thereabout, and the tail 10in. The young birds are spotted with white and brown.

It is almost impossible to open the pages of the old voyagers who have fallen in with these boobies without finding some accounts of the constant persecution to which the latter are subjected by the frigate or man-of-war birds.

Lesson, indeed, doubts this. He says, “The boobies have been so named because it has been supposed that the frigates compel them to disgorge the fish which they had taken; but this appears to me to be erroneous. The booby is

warlike, he lives fearlessly near the frigate, and swallows the fish which he has captured in peace.”

Cuvier, Buffon, and Temminck, on the contrary, give credence to the narratives of the frigate's persecution, and, indeed, it is difficult to believe that so many eye-witnesses should be mistaken.

Feuillée says, “I have had the pleasure of seeing the frigates give chase to the boobies. When they return in bands in the evening from their fishing the frigates are in waiting, and, dashing upon them, compel them all to cry for succour, as it were, and in crying to disgorge some of the fish they are carrying to their young ones. Thus do the frigates profit by the fishing of the boobies, which they then leave to pursue their way home.”

Legnat, in his Voyage, writes thus: “The boobies come to repose at night upon the Island Rodriguez, and the frigates, which are huge birds, so called from their lightness and speed in sailing through the air, wait for the boobies every evening on the tops of the trees. They rise, on the approach of the latter, very high in the air, and dash down upon them like a falcon on his prey, not to kill them, but to make them disgorge. The booby struck in this manner by the frigate gives up his fish, which the frigate catches in the air. The booby often shrieks, and shows his unwillingness to abandon his prey; but the frigate mocks at his cries, and, rising, dashes down upon him anew till he has compelled the booby to obey.”

William Dampier observes that he remarked that the man-of-war birds and the boobies always left sentinels near their young ones, especially while the old birds were gone to sea on their fishing-expeditions, and that there were a great number of sick or crippled man-of-war birds which appeared to be no longer in a state to go out for provisions. They dwelt not with the rest of their species, and, whether they were excluded from their society or had separated themselves voluntarily, they were dispersed in various places, waiting apparently for an opportunity of pillage. He adds that one day he saw more than twenty on one of the islands (the Alcranes), which from time to time made sorties to procure booty. The man-of-war bird that surprised a young booby without its guard gave it a great peck upon the back to make it disgorge—which it instantly did—a fish or two as big as one's wrist, which the old man-of-war bird quickly swallowed. He further speaks of the persecution of the parent boobies by the able-bodied frigate-bird, and says that he himself saw a frigate fly right against a booby, and with one blow of its bill make the booby give up a fish just swallowed, upon which the frigate darted with such celerity that he seized it before it reached the water.

Catesby and others mention seeing similar encounters.

Nuttall says, “The boobies have a domestic enemy more steady though less sanguine in his persecutions than man: this is the frigate pelican, who, with a keen eye descrying his humble vassal at a distance, pursues him without intermission, and obliges him by blows with his wings and bill to surrender his finny prey, which the pirate instantly seizes and swallows.”

The booby utters a loud cry, something between that of the raven and the goose; and this is heard more particularly when they are pursued or when, assembled together, they are seized with a sudden panic. Their nests, according to Dampier, are built in trees in the Isle of Aves, though they have been observed in other places to nestle on the ground. They always associate in numbers on the same spot, and lay one or two eggs. The young are covered with a very soft down. Nuttall says that they abound on the rocky islets off the coast of Cayenne and along the shores of New Spain and Carraccas, as well as in Brazil and the Bahamas, where they are said to breed almost every month in the year. In summer they are not uncommon on the coast of the Southern States of North America. The flesh he describes as black and unsavoury.

2. Ardea novæ-hollandiæ.

The White-fronted Heron.—This species is not nearly so common as the Common Blue Heron (Ardea sacra), and I have not seen a specimen for many years; but the one now before you was killed at Waipawa in May last. It is now in the collection of Mr. Smith, of the Masonic Hotel in this town.

3. Anthornis melanura.

The Bell-bird has almost disappeared from Hawke's Bay and the Seventy-mile Bush for some years. The specimen before you was procured at Takapau, and the sender informs me that they are once more appearing in that district.

4. Eudynamis.

Amongst a collection of New Zealand bird-skins sent to the Museum I found a skin of what appeared to be Eudynamis with the long tail-feathers imperfect, some not fully grown. On taking up the bird to ticket it, I saw that the breast, instead of the usual brown marks, was distinctly transversely barred with black metallic bars, as in the Bronze Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx). These bars extend from the beak to the vent. The bill is less robust than Eudynamis. The feet are light in colour, like those of an albino specimen. It has certainly the character of Eudynamis when seen from the back; but from the under side it suggests a cross between Eudynamis and Chrysococcyx.

former article one-third longer than two latter together; cubital joint somewhat linear, radial rather shorter than cubital, viewed from above somewhat cup-shaped; digital joint large, globose; springing from near articulation of joint is a brownish, irregular, triangular, semi-detached process, at extremity nearly as broad as long, fore-angles prolonged into two apophyses, outer black-brown, stout, pointed; inner longest, membranous, lake-brown, concave within; side-face of bulb spiral, glossy, outer circle broad, pale; inner circle red-mahogany; beneath the dark-brown, membranous, free apex is a black, pointed process; lamina bulbi broad-ovate, placed rather beneath bulbus, hairs rather sparse.

Falces brownish-yellow; conical, project moderately at base in front, directed rather forwards, exceed humeral joint of palpus in length.

Maxillæ yellowish-brown; fore-part broad, rounded, inclined towards labium, which is dark chocolate-brown; oval one-third broader than long, strongly everted.

Sternum cordate; yellow-brown, dark margin.

Abdomen oviform; ground-colour umber-brown, series of pinkish, purple-tinted flecks on either side of dorsal band, which is less defined than females, dark-brown near spinners; ventral surface brownish.

Female.—Geph. th., long, 1; broad, 1. Abd., long, 2·1; broad, 1·8. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 6·5, 5, 4, 3 mm.

Cephalothorax yellowish-brown, dorsal band and marginal zone olive-brown, former commences at thoracic fovea, bifurcating above junction of caput, to posterior eyes; glabrous; oval, moderately compressed forwards; pars cephalica convex, rounded, lateral index about equal to space between a hind-lateral eye and the hind-central furthest from it; fovea somewhat oval, caput groove and radial striæ moderately defined; profile-line rises slightly across ocular area, somewhat level to limit of caput, slopes moderately to base; clypeus vertical, height rather exceeds diameter of a fore-lateral eye.

Eyes on black eminences, laterals most prominent; posterior row moderately recurved, of about equal size, nearly equidistant, central eyes separated by an interval equal to their diameter and a quarter, about one-third less than their space from fore-centrals; anterior row recurved, median pair about one-third size of laterals, scarcely their breadth apart, about that interval from side-eyes; interspace between laterals rather exceeds that between posterior median pair.

Legs shade lighter than cephalothorax, rather faint annulations on tibiæ and metatarsi; moderately slender; black hairs, long, slender spines.

Palpi pale yellow-brown; slender, about length of cephalothorax; armature, hairs, and bristles.

Falces and cephalothorax concolorous; conical, directed rather forwards, project somewhat in front at base; fangs small, reddish-brown.

Maxillæ, fore-half broad, convex, rounded, moderately inclined towards labium, yellow-brown. Lip one-third broader than long, recurved; chocolate-brown, margin pale.

Sternum yellowish-brown; cordate.

Abdomen oviform; umber-brown, flecked with large and small pinkish, purple-tinted, somewhat metallic spots; dorsal band brown, sinuate margins, posterior two-thirds narrower and darker; lateral margins dark-brown, few purple streaks and flecks; ventral surface displays a brown purple-margined, shield-shaped mark; abdomen sparsely clothed with short blackish hairs. Corpus vulvæ chestnut-brown; moderately prominent; represents a transverse area divided by a glossy, brown, rather narrow, x-shaped septum, whose base is prolonged, horizontally, on the tumid margins of foveæ.

Several specimens, Wairongomai Gorge, A. T. U.

Linyphia nitidulum, sp. nov.

Female.—Ceph. th., long, 1·6; broad, 1. Abd., long, 2; broad, 1·8. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 5·9, 4·9, 4·2, 2·2 mm.

Cephalothorax brownish-yellow, median band and marginal zone dark-olive; former broad, bifurcates forwards from base of caput; areolate; oval, moderately compressed forwards, pars cephalica somewhat depressed, roundly truncated; lateral index equal to space from a hind-lateral eye to the hind-central furthest from it; thoracic indentation not clearly defined, caput and radial striæ well marked; contour of profile rises slightly across pars cephalica to hind row of eyes, dips somewhat abruptly backwards; depth of clypeus equals diameter of a fore-lateral eye, directed sensibly inwards.

Eyes on black spots, anterior and posterior rows recurved, latter moderately; hind row about equidistant, central pair scarcely their breadth apart, more than twice their diameter from fore-centrals, which are about their breadth from each other and side-eyes next to them; lateral eyes sensibly larger than posterior-centrals, more than one-third larger than fore-median pair; seated obliquely, their diameter and a half from one another, on tubercular eminences, fore-pair strong.

Legs and cephalothorax concolorous, femora faintly clouded, tibiæ and metatarsi annulated with an olive tint; slender; armature, few black hairs and bristle-like spines.

Palpi colour of legs, moderately strong.

Falces light amber-colour; somewhat conical, directed visibly inwards.

Maxillæ brownish-yellow; basal half longitudinally indented; fore-end rounded, tumid; inclined outwards; strong fringe of hairs. Labium chocolate-brown; oval, more than twice as broad as long, everted; about one-fourth as long as maxillæ.

Sternum brownish-yellow, margins clouded; coarse black hairs; cordate; slight eminences opposite coxæ.

Abdomen ovoid, fore-end pointed, projects over base of cephalothorax, lateral margins longitudinally corrugated; dorsal field creamy-brown, flecks of a paler hue; median mark broad, yellow margins, irregularly acutely crenate, extends from base to spinners, fore-half numerous pale flecks, few brown, somewhat angular marks on margin; posterior half maroon-colour; sides brownish, longitudinally streaked with dark olive-brown, margins yellow. Ventral surface brownish-yellow; displays a somewhat ovate, olive-coloured mark, two yellow spots. Corpus vulvæ amber-colour, speckled, glossy, somewhat oval, moderately prominent, transverse eminence, centrally produced into a longitudinal costa, at base of latter is a shallow, cuneate depression, with lake-coloured margins; fore-part concave within and prolonged above into a short, rather broad septum, which loops up a long, narrow, transverse membrane, projecting outwards above the rima genitalis; septum and membrane have glossy-brown, beaded margins.

This rather handsome specimen was captured amongst the light bush on the summit of Te Aroha. A. T. U.

Linyphia rufo-lineata, sp. nov.

Male.—Ceph. th., long, 2·8; broad, 2. Abd., long, 3·2; broad, 2. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 21, 13·1, 9, 7 mm.

Cephalothorax light yellow-brown; on posterior slope of pars cephalica is an olive-brown, lanceolate mark, which bifurcates forwards to posterior-lateral eyes; lateral margin of caput displays a longitudinal streak of similar hue; almost glabrous; rugulose; oval; moderately compressed forwards; caput moderately convex, lateral index nearly equals breadth at posterior row of eyes; median indentation on pars thoracica longitudinal, deep; caput and radial striæ well-defined; profile - contour represents a moderate double arch; clypeus vertical, height equal to more than diameter of a fore-central eye.

Eyes large, of almost equal size; posterior row procurved, centrals visibly the largest of eight, placed on black oval spots, three-fourths their diameter apart, separated by an interval equal to one-third their breadth from side-eyes next to them; anterior row recurved, median pair seated on a moderate black eminence, three-fourths their diameter from each other,

their breadth and a quarter from hind-centrals; separated by a space equal to one-fourth their diameter from side-eyes; laterals seated obliquely, close together, on separate, black, tubercular eminences.

Legs and cephalothorax concolorous; red-chestnut annuli on all joints; light hairs; long, slender spines on femoral, genual, tibial, and metatarsal joints.

Palpi colour of legs; long; humeral joint rather exceeds cubital and radial in length; cubital joint about one-fourth shorter than radial, fore-third angular, furnished with a long bristle; fore-third of radial joint sharply constricted, margin tumid, brownish; projects two long, moderately - strong bristles; clava large; projecting from beneath the lip-like margin of the radial joint is a large yellow-brown, hairy process, terminal half compressed, somewhat quadrilateral, margin blackish; above latter process a long, stout, tapering, amber-coloured apophysis, furnished with short hairs, projects forwards from beneath a black-brown, acute-crenate, membranous fringe; projecting upwards and outwards from between the two latter organs is a short, stout, curved, pale amber-coloured process, concave beneath; bulbus genitalis somewhat spiral, apex membranous, broad, linear, rounded, concave, reddish-brown; projecting outwards at a right angle from base of contracted apex is a broad, acutely-pointed, reddish, membranous process; projecting from within concavity at bulbus are two stout, glossy-black apophyses; base of outer one broad, depressed in centre, fore-part compressed and rounded; lamina bulbi beneath bulb, apex pointed; moderately hairy.

Falces light mahogany-brown; transversely rugose; vertical; fore-third remarkably concave on outer side; equal in length to humeral joint of palpus.

Maxillæ broadest and slightly rounded at extremity; moderately inclined towards each other; brownish-yellow, base suffused with brown. Labium somewhat oval, short, everted; base chocolate-brown, margin yellowish.

Sternum brownish; somewhat cordate; eminences opposite coxæ.

Abdomen oviform, indentation above pedicel; yellowish-olive, numerous yellowish flecks; folium ovate, base dark-olive; a pale ⊥-shaped mark extends backwards from cleft; nearly in centre of abdomen are two closely-connected, somewhat oval, creamy-white transverse marks; margins red, less pronounced on posterior side, with an outer border of dark olive-brown; prolonged margins terminate with white spots; between oval marks and basal ⊥-shaped mark are two whitish sinuating lines; on posterior half of dorsal line is a not-well-defined, yellow-flecked, tapering streak, bifurcating forwards

to oval marks; between latter marks and spinners are a series of three transverse, oblique, more or less pronounced, dark bars, fore-pair terminate with a white spot. Ventral surface yellowish; shield brown.

Female.—Ceph. th., long, 2·8; broad, 2. Abd., long, 4; broad, 3·2. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3=14, 10, 8, 6 mm.

Cephalothorax brownish-yellow; dorsal mark olive-brown; somewhat fan-shaped on base of pars cephalica, compressed across pars thoracica; rugulose; almost glabrous; oval, moderately compressed forwards, lateral index exceeds breadth of eye-area; normal grooves fairly marked, fovea deep, somewhat circular; profile-line represents a moderate double arch; clypeus in height rather exceeds diameter and a half of a fore-central eye.

Posterior row of eyes procurved, sensibly exceed fore-row in size; centrals on black, oval spots, separated by an interval scarcely equal to their diameter, half that space from laterals next to them, their breadth and a half from fore-centrals; anterior row recurved; median pair seated on slight prominences, interspace rather exceeds their breadth, separated by scarcely their diameter from side-eyes; laterals seated obliquely, one-fourth their breadth apart, on dark, tubercular eminences.

Legs brownish-yellow, more or less defined brown annulations; slender; yellowish hairs, spine armature similar to males; superior tarsal claws—1st pair, slightly curved, 14 close teeth, increasing a little in length; inferior claw long, 2 teeth.

Palpi resemble legs in colour and armature; length 4mm. Palpal claw moderately curved, long, 7 teeth.

Falces yellowish, glossy; vertical, conical, tumid and projecting forwards at base.

Maxillæ rather longer than broad, apex wide, slightly rounded; yellowish. Labium less than one-half length of maxillæ, somewhat oval, broader than long, everted; olive-brown.

Sternum cordate; eminences opposite coxæ; yellow-brown, margin brownish.

Abdomen oviform, projects moderately over base of cephalothorax; light stone-colour; folium sinuate, olive-brown, stone-coloured flecks; on fore-third are a series of undulating angular marks—apices directed forwards, of a light stone-colour, except the largest and posterior one, which has a creamy-white hue, anterior margin reddish-pink; from the latter mark a narrow subulate light stone-coloured mark extends half-way to spinners; on dorsal line, intersecting the pattern, is an olive-brown streak, which takes a hastate form on the creamy angular bar; a series of brownish oblique broad

streaks, interrupted by median pattern, extend length of folium; lateral margin yellowish-olive, white next to folium, flecks yellowish; on ventral surface is a semi-oval olive-brown mark, margined with light flecks; spinners short; light mahogany-brown. Vulva amber-colour, one - third broader than long, transversely rugose, projects over rima genitalis; displays two circular, moderately deep, brownish foveæ, divided by a slightly-elevated septum, whose breadth perceptibly exceeds their diameter, and nearly equals width of outer margin; facing septum is a somewhat concave depression, equalling it in breadth; margins of corpus vulvæ terminate, on either side of concavity, in slight, somewhat conical, brown eminences.

Several examples, summit of Te Aroha, A. T. U.

Linyphia nemoralis, sp. nov.

Female.—Ceph. th., long, 1. Abd., long, 1·5. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 7·4, 4, 3, 2·5 mm.

Cephalothorax dark olive-brown, suffused with black-brown; rugose; ovate lateral marginal compression at pars cephalica very slight; caput convex, viewed from front broad ovate; indentation below eyes; thoracic fovea longitudinal, normal grooves slight; profile-contour nearly semicircular, crown of arch at limit of caput; clypeus convex, projects moderately forwards, height equals about two-thirds depth of ocular area.

Eyes of tolerable and nearly equal size; posterior row procurved, median-pair three-fourths their diameter from each other, separated by scarcely twice that interval from side-eyes; anterior row recurved; centrals dark, smallest of eight, seated on a prominence, their radius apart, further from laterals of same row than they are from posterior median pair; form a trapezoid with hind-centrals, longer than broad; lateral eyes have the pearl-grey lustre of posterior-centrals, placed obliquely on dark, moderately prominent eminences, contiguous.

Legs brownish-yellow, rather faint-brown annulations, most pronounced on 3–4; in some examples, except base of femora, 1–2 have a reddish tinge, with little or no trace of annuli; slender; fine hairs, few bristle-like spines on genual and tibial joints.

Palpi straw-colour, except digital joint which has a brownish hue; latter article rather longer than humeral, more than twice length of pars radialis; no claw; black hairs.

Falces brownish-yellow, basal half suffused with reddish-brown; stout, length exceeds digital joint of palpus by one-fourth, project forwards at base, directed outwards, superior margin somewhat concave at extremity; outer row of teeth strong, two central longest; fangs long.

Maxillæ yellowish, basal half suffused with chocolate-brown;

linear-oval, curve over labium, which is somewhat oval, rather broader than long, everted, more than half length of maxillæ; chocolate-brown, apex pale.

Sternum dark chocolate-brown; covered with small papillæ; cordate, nearly as broad as long.

Abdomen oviform, profile-line represents a semicircle, rising abruptly from base of cephalothorax; stone-colour; folium terminates a little above spinners, its dark-brown, coarse, irregular, somewhat acute-crenate margins enclose a stone-coloured leaf-like space, which has in some examples two angular brown bars on posterior half, apices directed forwards; fore-part of pale area and margins of folium widen out on base; ventral surface brown, margin dark. Corpus vulvæ moderately tumid, inferior (anterior) margin prolonged into a short, broad scape, fore-end circular, concave on upper side; superior margin curves inwards, forming a short septum, beneath the scapus vulvæ, which intersects two ovate foveæ; beneath the superior tumid margin is a narrow, transverse, lip-like projection.

Male.—Ceph. th., long, 1. Abd., long, 1. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 8, 5, 3·5, 3 mm.

Cephalothorax mahogany-brown; rugose; oval, lateral marginal constrictions at caput slight, contour of profile resembles female's; height of clypeus rather less than one-half depth of facial space.

Eyes, posterior row procurved, central pair their radius apart, rather more than their diameter from laterals; anterior row recurved, median pair placed on a dark, moderate prominence, separated by an interval equal to one-third of an eye's diameter, scarcely their breadth and a half from posterior-centrals, visibly more than their diameter from side-eyes of same row; laterals seated obliquely on moderate tubercular eminences, nearly contiguous.

Legs reddish-brown, except basal half of femora and coxæ, which have a dull straw-colour; 3–4 brown annuli at articulations of tibiæ and fore-end of metatarsi; armature, sparse, fine hairs; one long bristle-like spine on genual, two on tibial joints.

Palpi pale straw-colour; humeral joint about one-fourth longer than cubital and radial together; cubital joint rather narrow at base, slightly exceeds penultimate article in length; latter joint cyathiform, furnished with black bristles; pars digitalis reddish-brown; large, globose; laminæ moderately hairy, directed towards each other, circular, convex, project in front, a dark, stout, curved process, directed forwards and downwards; laminæ indented beneath processes, display above, on outer side, a remarkable lunulate indentation; bulbus genitalis complex, viewed laterally, circular, somewhat

what (plane) spiral, rugose; margin black-brown, bulbus yellowish, circular margins reddish-brown; near centre of the somewhat depressed lobe are two yellowish, short, tooth-like processes, directed downwards; beneath them the dark, membranous margin is produced into a long, fine, black apophysis, curving forwards and upwards, central third ciliate.

Falces reddish-brown, basal half suffused with olive-brown, somewhat conical, directed visibly forwards, terminal half outwards.

Maxillæ brownish-yellow, base suffused with olive-brown; linear-oval curve over labium; latter oval, chocolate-brown.

Sternum dark chocolate-brown; cordate.

Abdomen oviform; stone-colour; folium nearly length of dorsal line; black-brown, coarse, acute - crenate margins enclose a stone-coloured leaf-like space. Ventral surface brownish.

Three specimens taken on the summit of Te Aroha, A. T. U.

Genus Theridium, Walck.

Theridium brunnea-folium, sp. nov.

Female.—Ceph. th., long, 2; broad, 1·2. Abd., long, 3; broad, 2·5. Legs, 1, 4, 2, 3 = 10·5, 8, 6·5, 5 mm.

Cephalothorax pale-brown, whitish radial streaks; caput, broad median band, and lateral margins suffused with brown; areolate; glabrous; oval, moderately compressed forwards, pars cephalica rather depressed, lateral index about equal to space at hind-central eyes; fovea large, deep, somewhat circular; radial striæ and caput-grooves moderately defined; contour of profile arched, dips slightly at median indentation; clypeus projects forwards, height visibly exceeds depth of ocular area.

Posterior row of eyes procurved; median pair—which are sensibly the largest of eight—separated by rather more than their diameter; interval between them and laterals exceeds latter space by one-third; anterior row recurved; central eyes slightly further from one another than they are from posterior median pair, with which they nearly form a square, anterior side widest; centrals rather less than their breadth from side-eyes; laterals placed obliquely on dark tubercular eminences, nearly contiguous.

Legs brownish-yellow, reddish-brown annulations on tibial and metatarsal joints; armature sparse, dark hairs, slender bristles.

Palpi yellowish, radial and digital joints reddish; length of cephalothorax.

Falces glossy, amber-colour; somewhat linear, directed slightly forwards, equal to pars digitalis of palpus in length.

Maxillæ yellowish; long, somewhat acutely pointed, inclined over labium, which has an olive tinge; somewhat semicircular, nearly as long as broad, about one-half length of maxillæ.

Sternum yellowish, dark margins; cordate; areolate; slight eminences opposite coxæ.

Abdomen oviform, peduncle rather exposed; folium covers dorsal surface, runcinate, well-defined; light chocolates-brown, pale flecks, margins picked out with dark-brown; median band creamy-white; narrow, throws off few short transverse bars, fore-third lanceolate; lateral margins and ventral surface creamy-brown, numerous pale flecks; few brownish, transverse, somewhat ill-defined bars beneath; spinners short, brown. Vulva dark-brown; projects over rima genitalis, somewhat oval concavity above, fore-margin of latter tumid, notched.

Single specimen, summit of Te Aroha, A. T. U.

Theridium niger-punctillum, sp. nov.

Female.—Ceph. th., long, 2; broad, 1·5. Abd., long, 3; broad, 2·7. Legs, 1, 4, 2, 3 = 11, 8·2, 6·8, 4·8 mm.

Cephalothorax pale reddish-brown, caput and median band lightly clouded with olive; areolate; oval, laterally constricted forwards; pars cephalica moderately convex, lateral index equal to space from a hind-lateral eye to hind-central next to it; thoracic fovea circular, deep; normal grooves rather faint; profile-contour rises a little from occiput, represents a low arch across pars thoracica; clypeus directed perceptibly forwards, height equal to depth of eye-area.

Eyes tolerably small, do not differ much in size; posterior row procurved, median pair largest of eight, sensibly less than their diameter from each other, rather more than that space from side-eyes; anterior row recurved, centrals further from one another than they are from hind pair, with which they nearly form a square; lateral eyes have the pearl-grey lustre of posterior-centrals, placed obliquely on dark, moderately prominent, tubercular eminences, contiguous.

Legs yellowish, red-brown annulations at articulation of joints; femora of one pair speckled; long, slender; hairs and bristles sparse.

Palpi yellowish, hairs sparse, bristle on cubital joint; length, 2mm.

Falces yellowish, reddish about apex; linear, vertical.

Maxillæ pale, dull, brownish-yellow; stout, spathulate, inclined towards labium, which is semicircular, less than half length of maxillæ; slightly everted; orange-brown.

Sternum colour of legs; areolate; cordate.

Abdomen oviform, very convex above, pointed at spinners, moderately so at base; pale, olive-tinted stone-colour, thickly

spotted with creamy-white flecks, oblique streaks of normal hue, remarkable irregular black mark between second and last oblique streaks; hairs short, light, sparse. Vulva glossy, reddish-black; represents two somewhat circular connected projections; on upper surface are two foveæ, intersected by a longitudinal groove; reddish-brown fan-shaped marks radiate from each concavity.

Single specimen captured at the base of Te Aroha, A. T. U.

Theridium porphyreticum, sp. nov.

Female.—Ceph. th., long, 2; broad, 1·5. Abd., long, 3; broad, 2. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 9, 6, 5·4, 4 mm.

Cephalothorax pale, brownish straw-colour; areolate; oval, slightly compressed forwards; pars cephalica moderately convex; lateral index equal to space from a fore-lateral eye to the hind-central next to it; thoracic fovea somewhat oval, normal grooves deep; contour of profile represents a moderate arch; clypeus nearly vertical, height scarcely equals depth of eye-area.

Posterior row of eyes sensibly procurved, median pair ovate, pearl-grey, black margins, separated by an interval perceptibly exceeding their breadth, their diameter and a half from laterals next to them; anterior row recurved, centrals brownish, placed on moderate black eminences, nearly form a square with posterior pair; lateral eyes have the brownish hue of fore-centrals, seated obliquely on black tubercular eminences, contiguous.

Legs and cephalothorax concolorous; moderately slender; armature very sparse.

Palpi colour and armature of legs.

Falces brownish straw-colour; vertical, somewhat linear and aplanate, double row of small teeth.

Maxillæ long, ronndly truncated on superior side, single row of short bristles on margins, inclined towards labium, which is about as long as broad, rounded; organs pale-brown.

Sternum yellowish, cordate.

Abdomen oviform, basal end rather the widest and most pointed; dorsal field—except base, which is light-brown—clouded with black-brown, has a pinkish tint graduating into a pale yellow-brown, thickly flecked with a lighter hue, about marginal zone and ventral surface; posterior three-fourths of dorsal field clouded with reddish-purple, deepening in shades towards spinners; on median line are two creamy-white marks; basal lanceolate, forms a disconnected petiole to the doubly serrate leaf-shaped posterior mark, which extends to spinners; across the constriction, below the central im-

pressed spots, is a dash of red. The abdomen in the vicinity of the vulva had shrunk somewhat when the specimen was described. Branchial opercula long, linear; pale-lemon colour. Corpus vulvæ moderately prominent; above the rima genitalis is a large circular orifice.

Single example, Wairongomai Gorge, A. T. U.

Theridium gracilipes, sp. nov.

Female.—Ceph. th., long, 1·1; broad, 1. Abd., long, 2; broad, 1·6. Legs, 1, 4, 2, 3 = 11·5, 7·5, 7·3, 6 mm.

Cephalothorax light-brown clouded with olive-brown, except fore-part of pars cephalica and lanceolate median streak; areolate; ovate, base broad; caput moderately convex, roundly truncated; eminence of fore-central eyes projects a little forwards; thoracic indentation somewhat triangular, normal grooves fairly defined; contour of profile represents a low arch; clypeus directed forwards, height nearly equals depth of ocular area.

Fore and hind row of eyes recurved, curvature of posterior row nearly equals that of anterior; eyes of hind row of equal size, centrals are separated from one another by an interval equal to their diameter, and from laterals by about their radius; anterior-centrals dark, seated on a moderate blackish prominence, less than their diameter apart, about one-third smaller than hind-median pair, with which they form a trapezoid, whose posterior side is widest; lateral eyes have the pearly lustre of posterior-centrals, placed obliquely on strong, dark-lake rings, nearly contiguous.

Legs yellow-brown; short, stiff hairs, apparently no bristles; long, slender.

Palpi resemble legs in colour; dark hairs, fine bristle on cubital and radial joints; slender.

Falces yellowish; vertical, somewhat conical, fore-third directed outwards.

Maxillæ yellowish-brown; spathulate, inclined towards labium, which is semicircular, margins very tumid; yellowish-brown, base dark.

Sternum yellow-brown, margins olive-brown; cordate, numerous small mammiform eminences.

Abdomen, profile oviform, posterior end obtuse, viewed from above pointed somewhat sharply at either extremity; integument olive-brown, posterior end dark, on dorsal field and lateral margins are about 15 irregularly-shaped light stone-coloured patches; ventral surface olive-brown; hairs short, sparse. Corpus vulvæ moderately prominent, dark amber-colour; within a rather large circular area, defined by a narrow membrane, are three moderately prominent lobes enclosing a cordate space, apex directed towards spinners,

rather exceeding the upper and largest lobe in size; lateral lobes mussel-shaped, superior reniform.

Single specimen, colour affected by spirit. Te Aroha, A. T. U.

Fam. Epeiridæ.

Genus Epeira, Walck.

Epeira dumicola, sp. nov.

Female.—Ceph. th., long, 2·5; broad, 2·2; facial index, 1. Abd., long, 5·2; broad, 4·2. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 8·7, 8·1, 7·5, 4·5 mm.

Cephalothorax dull raw-sienna; few pale hairs on pars thoracica; clathrate; length equals that of the genual and tibial joints of a leg of 4th pair; sides well-rounded, lateral constrictions at caput tolerably sharp; pars cephalica convex, ocular eminence rather low, lateral index equals space between posterior-lateral eyes; thoracic indentation and radial striæ not well-defined, caput-grooves more pronounced; profile-contour rises from thoracic junction at an angle of 30°, slopes forwards across three-fourths of caput; clypeus nearly equals diameter of a fore-central eye in depth.

Posterior row of eyes sensibly procurved, median pair separated by an interval which perceptibly exceeds their diameter; their space and a quarter from side-eyes; anterior row moderately recurved, centrals visibly smaller than posterior pair, have their lake-brown tinge and rings, interspace equal to about twice their diameter, rather less than that interval from hind-median eyes; about twice their space from side-eyes; laterals nearly equal hind-centrals in size, seated obliquely, visibly more than their radius from each other, on separate lake-brown tubercular eminences.

Legs moderately slender; reddish-chestnut colour; faint annuli; hairs light, sparse; spines slight, yellowish, moderately numerous; superior tarsal claws—1st pair, 10 teeth; inferior claw, 2 short close teeth.

Palpi and legs concolorous; slender, equal to cephalothorax in length; armature slight spines and hairs; palpal claw, curvature moderate, 8 teeth directed forwards.

Falces yellowish, apices and fangs dark; conical, vertical, project at base in front; length equal to breadth of anterior row of eyes.

Maxillæ strong, obtusely pointed, inclined towards labium: latter oval, about as broad as maxillæ, three-fourths their length; organs, base red-chestnut, apices yellowish.

Sternum colour of coxæ; shield-shape; clathrate.

Abdomen projects over base of cephalothorax; broadest between moderately pronounced tubercles, base obtusely pointed, tapers towards spinners; aplanate; hairs fine,

sparse; ground-colour creamy-brown; a moderately angular brown mark intersects anterior pair of impressed spots, which are in line with tubercles at its apex, which is directed forwards, is an oval yellowish spot, with orange-red margins; between central pair of impressed spots, which are also well defined, is a brown Y-shaped mark; few faint angular bars towards spinners. Vulva yellowish; convex, transversely rugulose; scapus large, somewhat conical, about as broad at base as long, lateral margins of basal half membranous, red-chestnut colour, prolonged margins curve inwards, forming somewhat triangular concavities beneath scapus vulvæ.

Single example, captured on summit of Te Aroha, A. T. U.

Epeira mulleola, sp. nov.

Male.—Ceph. th., long, 4·5; broad, 3·8. Abd., long, 4·5; broad, 3. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 15·5, 13·5, 12·4, 8·5 mm.

Cephalothorax, sides olive-brown, graduating to a reddish-brown on median line; moderately clothed with white hairs; sides well-rounded, laterally compressed forwards; pars cephalica somewhat depressed, shallow central indentation; lateral index slightly exceeds one-half facial index; ocular eminence prominent; pars thoracica moderately convex, indentation large, somewhat circular.

Posterior-central eyes separated from each other by a space equal to their diameter and a half; their breadth from fore-centrals; anterior median eyes perceptibly the largest, interval between them equals their diameter and a half; laterals seated on moderately strong, black, tubercular eminences, their radius apart; fore-pair visibly the largest.

Legs light-brown, tinted—especially 1–2—with light olive-green, fore-part of femora clouded with dark olive-brown; tibial, metatarsal, and tarsal joints annulated with olive-brown, less defined on tibiæ of 1–2; genual joints rather more than half length of tibial; latter articles equal metatarsal in length; tibia of a leg of 1st pair equal to cephalothorax in length; curved process on coxæ of 1; hairs yellowish, short, tolerably sparse; spines yellowish, base dark; several long spines on femora of 1–2; 3–4, superior and inferior row of about 4 or 5 spines, mostly exceeding former in length and strength; spines on genual joints; fairly numerous and strong on tibiæ, especially of 1–2; 10 to 15 spines on metatarsal joints; superior tarsal claws—1st pair, 11 open comb teeth; inferior claw sharply bent, 2 close teeth.

Palpi, hairs pale-yellow; humeral joint yellow - brown; short, fore-end somewhat dilated, furnished with a long, stout bristle; cubital joint yellowish; broad cordate, base constricted, more than half length of pars humeralis, projects at apex a long, strong, yellowish-brown bristle; radial joint

tinted with olive-brown; one-third length of former article, produced on outer side into a large, pale straw-coloured, oval process, directed outwards and slightly downwards; pars digitalis large, oval; laminæ bulbi yellowish, clouded with olive-brown; ovate, apices curved; directed towards each other; base prolonged on outer side into a reddish curved process, directed outwards; bulbus genitalis complex; crown light reddish-brown, clouded; somewhat oval, convex, horizontally rugose, on summit is a dark-reddish circular bead; bulb displays several curved, obtusely-pointed convolutions, yellowish-brown, blackish-red margins; most remarkable projections—view laterally, fore-lobe somewhat vertical in front, upper margin developed into a bright red-mahogany, semi-detached, broad, cylindrical, horizontal process, curving backwards, about its diameter below upper disc; projecting downwards from margin of disc is a large, bright mahogany-red, flattish, somewhat cordate lobe, apex curved forwards, in contact with apex of cylindrical process; between cordate lobe and a semipellucid black-marked membrane at articulation of bulb is a broad, blackish, longitudinally-wrinkled appendage, fore-end concave, hind limb claw-like, directed backwards; beneath cordate lobe is a large, brownish-lake, curved process, projecting outwards and somewhat forwards, nearly as broad as long, concave above, apex truncated, somewhat U-shaped.

Falces yellow-brown, basal two-thirds yellow, streaked with olive-green; vertical, moderately slender, outer contour concave, inner convex, fore-third directed outwards; fangs lake-colour.

Maxillæ, fore-end dilated, rather broader than lip, obtusely pointed, inclined towards each other. Labium rather broader than long, lateral margins abrupt, slope perceptibly outwards, obtusely pointed, everted; organs, base dark-brown, fore-end pale olive-brown.

Sternum blackish-brown; white hairs; ovate, transversely rugose.

Abdomen oviform, moderately prominent across greatest diameter; posterior end rounded, two well-developed tubercles, one above the other, lower perceptibly the largest; eight impressed spots; anterior pair of four central, well defined, placed at case of transverse ridge; ground-colour light slaty stone-colour; folium trilobate, margins black-brown, resembles females in form and marks; lateral margins tabby-grey; ventral surface brownish-yellow, shield blackish.

Female described in vol. xx. “Trans. N.Z. Inst.”^* This species is by no means rare, commences pairing in October: cocoon globose, composed of dark-green silk, of loose texture;

comprised within are about 360 pinkish eggs, agglutinated together.

Tairoa, T. Brown; Te Karaka, A. T. U.

Fam. Thlaosomidæ.

Genus Thlaosoma, Cambr.

Thlaosoma tuberosa, sp. nov.

Female.—Ceph. th., long, 2; broad, 2·7. Abd., long, 3·1; broad, 5. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 8·2, 8, 6, 5 mm.

Cephalothorx pale stone-colour, olive-tinge, base and lateral margins semi-pellucid, striæ defined by interruped dark-brown streaks; pars cephalica brownish, light olive-brown oblique bars; median streak yellowish-brown, acute; eye-area reddish, cross yellow; hairs papillæform, white and reddish; pars thoracica somewhat reniform, raised into two abrupt ridges, terminating in prominent sub-conical points above thoracic junction; fore-part of pars cephalica somewhat conical, has the normal upturn; height of clypeus nearly equals depth of ocular area.

Four central eyes form a quadrilateral figure broader than long, of about equal size; laterals rather smaller than median eyes, their radius apart.

Legs brownish-yellow, broad, somewhat flecked, brown annuli on femora; two broad annulations on tibiæ; single one at fore-end of metatarsi; 1–2 and 3–4 of about equal strength, two fore-pairs stoutest; femoral joints armed beneath with double row of moderately short and strong tubercular spines, numerous smaller spines between rows; similar rows, composed of smaller spines, beneath tibiæ of 1–2; hairs sparse; outer superior tarsal claw—1st pair, much the longest and strongest, 4 close teeth; inner claw 5; inferior claw sharply bent, 2 short teeth.

Palpi and legs concolorous; palpal claw sharply curved, 3 teeth increasing in length and strength.

Falces clouded with blackish-olive, fangs red; long, somewhat linear, directed inwards.

Maxillæ rather longer than broad, roundly pointed, inclined over labium, which is large, broader than long, somewhat pointed; organs chocolate-brown, apices light.

Sternum olive-brown, clouded with dark-brown; cordate.

Abdomen, base and lateral margins have a pinkish tint; in centre of concave depression above thoracic junction is a linear-oval, red-brown mark; dorsal surface, except posterior third, which represents a creamy-white triangular area, is black-brown; tubercular eminences mostly yellowish-brown; hairs papillæform, numerous, reddish and white; the apices of the two lateral and leading protuberances are nipple-like;

pars cubitalis, projects on outer side a stoutish process, apex fine, curved upwards; lamina bulbi mahogany-colour, moderately hairy; rather longer than two former articles together, apex obliquely truncated, slope directed outwards, somewhat depressed; bulbus genitalis chocolàte-brown, nearly two-thirds length of lamina; viewed beneath, from inner side, somewhat triangular; projecting from apex are two moderately-long, fine, curved apophyses, inner black, outer pellucid; beneath lamina, on outer side, is a yellowish tumid bulb, whose free end extends backwards to radial joint.

Falces purple-chocolate; conical, vertical, transversely rugose; length equal to posterior breadth of ocular area.

Maxillæ red-mahogany colour; fore-end broad, rounded.

Labitim linear-oval; colour of maxillæ.

Sternum reddish-brown; oval.

Abdomen linear-oviform; olive-tinted stone-colour, numerous light flecks on lateral margins and dorsal line; folium brownish, coarsely serrate, encloses a linear-oval, light olive-green mark, with few brown spots; series of three oblique brown streaks on lateral margins; ventral surface brownish; hairs sparse.

Female.—Ceph. th., long, 3; broad, 2. Abd., long, 4; broad, 2. Legs, 1st pair, 5mm.

Cephalothorax yellowish - mahogany, caput mottled with creamy-brown, fore-half clouded with a darkish-brown; few hairs on margin of eye-area; pars cephalica aplanate, sides moderately abrupt, limited by a somewhat diamond-shaped depression, scarcely equals length of pars thoracica; profile-line rises from thoracic junction at an angle of 45°, dips slightly forwards across caput; clypeus vertical, equals radius of a fore-lateral eye in depth; fringe of light hairs.

Angles of eye-area less prominent than males.

Legs brownish-yellow, anterior pair shade darker, especially four terminal joints; genual and tibial joints of 1 more than three-fourths length of cephalothorax; hairs sparse; few spines on femora; single spine on inner side of genua of 1; tibiæ of 1–2, as a rule, 3–4; metatarsi, 2–2; tibiæ of 3–4, about 4 or 5; metatarsi 2, rings of 5 spines.

Palpi and hind-legs concolorous; sparsely furnished with hairs; slender; length, 2·4mm.

Falces reddish-mahogany; broad conical, less pointed and shorter than males, vertical, transversely rugose.

Maxillæ brown; extremity broad, rounded. Labium brown; linear-oval, about half length of maxillæ.

Sternum oval; yellowish.

Abdomen linear-oviform; ground-colour deep stone-colour, numerous pale flecks; folium coarsely serrate, olive-brown, encloses a pale, mottled, lanceolate figure, with serrate mar-

scarcely that interval from anterior pair, which are visibly more than an eye's breadth and a half from one another; lateral eye's perceptibly smaller than centrals, seated obliquely, their radius apart, on a stout tubercular eminence.

Legs reddish - mahogany colour (brown - mahogany in second example); hairs black, few fine bristles; 1–2 of nearly equal length and strength; 4 exceeds 3 in length and somewhat in stoutness; superior tarsal claws—1st pair, moderately curved (apparently), 8 rather strong, open teeth; inferior claw long, bent, teeth (?); auxiliary claws.

Palpi tolerably slender, colour and armature of legs; palpal claw slightly curved, 7 open teeth, centrals longest.

Falces dull-black, lake tinge; stout, somewhat pyriform, directed moderately forwards, nearly equal, in length radial and digital joints of palpus; double row of strong teeth, outer row 7.

Maxillæ stout, about as broad as long, somewhat semicircular, base constricted, slightly inclined towards labium, which is about as long as broad, somewhat conical, everted, rather more than one-half length of maxillæ; base of organs chocolate-brown, margins olive tinted yellow-brown.

Sternum elongate-cordate, well-defined eminences oppoisite coxæ, base tapers off to a tail-like point from posterior pair; brownish-black; large, circular, brownish-yellow spot between anterior pair of eminences.

Abdomen light-yellowish stone-colour, area enclosed by sigilla, from first pair slightly suffused with a dull olivegreen (less defined in second example); fore and hind margins have a pale-olive hue, sparsely clouded with streaks of lake; lateral extremities, fore-spine, and base of hind-spine, black; fore-part of latter spine red-lake, apex dark; posterior spine-like tubercles lake-black; sigilla black, tinted more or less with brown-lake; centre and extremities of ventral surface greenish-black, intermediate longitudinal bands, which equal central in breadth, have a yellowish hue, suffused with lake; irregularly-shaped yellowish-coloured spots, base of two largest partially encircle spinners, tapering off round posterior margins of branchial opercula; few short black hairs on margins and posterior tubercles; horny; rather more than twice as broad as long, aplanate, lateral wing-like projections rise to an angle of 25°, terminate with stout spines directed outwards; anterior pair 1mm. in length, inclined slightly forwards; posterior pair, 4mm., curve moderately backwards; viewed from above, profile-contour of central third represents a visibly-depressed segment of a circle projecting over base of cephalothorax; extremities of line slope perceptibly backwards to anterior spines; from apex of posterior spines to base of tubercles profile-line forms a slight and even concavity; tuber-

With respect to the normal type of Declana floccosa, it is extremely hard to say much, as the several varieties do not contain any characters common to all of them, although, in many instances, the same markings can be recognised in several different forms. Thus we have nothing definite which can be said to form the basis of the species; our only course, therefore, is to take the simplest form, and regard that as the type. Pl. ix., figs. 7 and 8, represent this form. The following is a brief description: Front wings pale greyish white covered with numerous brownish-black streaks, exhibiting a slight concentration towards the tip of the wing, but varying much in intensity (compare figs. 7 and 8). Hindwings buff-coloured, shaded with pale brown towards their exterior margins. Next in order to this most simple form is the variety depicted at fig. 1, which exhibits several large round spots on the disc of the front wing, the minute streaks being decidedly concentrated on the hindmargin, and leaving the central portion of the wing considerably paler in colour than in the usual type. From this form we will now pass to an insect which was long known as Declana nigrosparsa, from the numerous black spots ornamenting its frontwings. It is a tolerably common and easily recognised variety (fig. 4).

Pl. ix., fig. 2, represents another very characteristic form of D. floccosa, distinguished from the type by the two conspicuous stripes which cross the forewings from the costa to the inner margin; one being situated near the thorax, and the other at about two-thirds of the distance towards the hindmargin, this latter being doubly curved. A further development of this form is drawn at fig. 5, where these two stripes are joined together, near the middle, by two lines running parallel with the hindmargin and costa of the wing. These two varieties were described under the name of Declana junctilinea, Mr. Meyrick having subsequently shown in his paper on the New Zealand Geometrina,^* that they were inadmissible as species. A form combining the characters of nigrosparsa and junctilinea is shown at fig. 3, where we have both the curved lines and numerous black spots. Finally, we have a most conspicuous form (fig. 6), showing the greatest deviation from the original type, where the frontwings are entirely suffused with dark greyish-black, except two broad bands of the original light colour extending from the costa to the inner margin. The base and hindmargin of the posterior wings are also much suffused with dark-grey, leaving a broad ill-defined band of lighter colour across the middle of the wing.

Taking now a general view of these varieties it is manifestly impossible to regard them as constituting more than a

single species, the numerous intermediate forms between the most marked of them rendering any attempts at subdivision completely futile. At the same time, I am led to believe that the larvæ of two of the most distinct types of variation—namely, nigrosparsa and junctilinea, exhibit considerable differences, although I have not yet reared a sufficient number to form any decided opinion on the subject. The larvæ of figs. 1, 4, 7, and 8, including the type and two varieties, feed on the New Zealand “currant” or “wineberry” (Aristotelia racemosa), and are of a dark reddish-brown colour, sometimes marbled with grey, closely resembling the twigs of the trees, and thus affording the caterpillars the usual protection from enemies. On the other hand, the larvæ of the vars. figs. 2 and 5 are light yellowish-brown with irregular darker markings, approximating closely to the stems of the manuka (Leptospermum), on which I have always found them. To any one interested in the development of species and inheritance of parental peculiarities, I think that this insect would be a most useful object for investigation. The fact that none of the varieties I have mentioned are confined to any particular sex would be most advantageous, as the experimentor could readily select a male and female of each conspicuous form from which he could obtain ova, and thus ascertain whether the well-marked peculiarities of the parents were inherited, or, in other words, whether there was any tendency to establish a permanent or specific character. Should it be found feasible to carry the observations through several generations of moths, I feel sure that the result obtained would have an important bearing on that much-vexed question, the origin of species.

Before concluding, I should like to point out how eminently suitable insects are for investigations of this character. In the first place their brief life enables the industrious observer to watch the same family of insects for several generations, an impossibility in the case of most other animals, while the conspicuous characters which distinguish the majority of the species, especially of the Lepidoptera, render any departure from the normal type at once perceptible. It is consequently somewhat surprising that they have been so little made use of, and it can only be attributed to that prejudice which unfortunately exists against the study of entomology even in the present day. Workers in most of the other branches of science are allowed to push their investigations far beyond the limits of direct usefulness, and are encouraged for their zeal and perseverance in so doing, whereas, in the case of the entomologist, unless the insects he is investigating are connected with agriculture or some other matter of equal importance, his labours are regarded as a mere waste of time. With respect to this idea, I can only say that, if the same utilitarian argu-

prostrate plant, and, believing it to be new, I carefully secured it and brought it to Napier. As I expected it would shortly emerge in its imago state, I took accurate notes of this chrysalis in its fresh and living state, also a drawing of it, which I now give. I failed, however, in seeing the perfect insect, as the chrysalis never developed, but lost its original colours and decayed. I suppose it must have received some bruising in carriage, &c., although I took every possible care, having also formerly reared perfect insects of Pyrameis gonerilla, Danais berenice, Dasypoda selenophora, and others. It may be, however, only the pupa state of one of our known New Zealand butterflies, and also known to our colonial lepidopterists, who will in that case immediately recognise it from my description. It was certainly both very peculiar in shape and richly adorned in colours.

[The section below cannot be correctly rendered as it contains complex formatting. See the image of the page for a more accurate rendering.]

1. Side view. 2. Front view. Chrysalis 10/12 inch long; slightly enlarged.

Description.—Chrysalis: Suspended by a stout web from its tail (none around the body), oblong (outline form), 10 lines long, 4 lines broad; somewhat sub-angular and rough, with many small muricate projections; colour olivaceous, smooth yet finely corrugated, glossy, with minute short wavy transverse black veins; the thorax and head having a semi-metallic glistening appearance, as if finely powdered with gold dust, with 6–8 large and more defined bright gold-like round spots on underside of thorax and head. Head broad, truncate and retuse almost bifid, acutely 2-horned at outer angles; sternum largely produced and very acute; tail produced, tip blackish, ½ line long, curved with a stout silken band 3 lines long; back flattish, with 4 small sharp points (2 pairs) near the centre and 2 larger on each side (edge of wings) nearly in the same lateral line, and 1 smaller on edge near fourth abdominal ring, and 5 blackish spiracle-like slits in a curved line from fourth abdominal ring to tip of tail; several fine longitudinal black lines running from each side of horn to the fifth and largest ring of abdomen, the outer pair of lines regularly studded their whole length with minute raised points; 3 large posterior black rings and 4 sub-obsolete anterior ones on abdomen underside; 8 pairs of acute points (feet) in 2 longitudinal lines, with 6 smaller central ones in a longitudinal line on abdominal rings; and a shining blackish disc with raised margin in centre of thorax under sternum.

Obs. This chrysalis somewhat resembles in form that of Vanessa io. Viewed in front its prominent sternum, &c., bears a likeness of the human face in ludicrous miniature. I

whence to pour forth its gushing notes; and this habit is more particularly observed by them soon after sunrise and at sunset, when to hear them of a fine summer's evening, when all is calm above and still below, is really ravishing. At such times the song by Capern, called “The Old Grey Thrush,” has come forcibly to mind. As some of you may not know it, permit me to give part of the first stanza:—

Of all the birds of tuneful note
That warble o'er field and flood,
O, give me the thrush with the speckled throat,
The king of the singing wood!
For see, he sits on the topmost twig
To carol forth his glee,
And none can dance a merrier jig,
Or laugh more loud than he.

The whole of that song is apt (for the tui), and well worth repeating. To return, however:—altogether it was a pleasant time; all nature seemed in harmony; even the murmur of the rippling waters of the neighbouring brawling stream joined in unison, and conveyed a more soothing cadence than usual to the ear; and the briskly flitting butterflies above all appeared to be revelling in luxury, enjoying themselves and making the most of it. At such seasons snatches from the once popular song of fifty or sixty years ago, and long forgotten, “I'd be a butterfly, born in a bower,” &c., would come rushing rapidly along through the dark lanes of encumbered memory into broad daylight. I remember well, standing entranced, as it were, for several minutes, contemplating and admiring the scene before me ere I could bring myself to resume my journey, and dive into the deeper and gloomy recesses of the forest.

That is a faint and brief description of what I saw there at that grand butterflies' ball and feast, in the early spring.

On a subsequent visit to that spot, one day in the autumn (28th April), on examining the Urtica shrub, I found 3 larvæ and 2 chrysalides of the Pyrameis on it: the larvæ feeding on its leaves, the pupæ hanging from it. The pupæ were suspended by a few tiny threads under a leaf, or within a leaf (or sometimes two leaves), the edges being very slightly drawn together with threads, but not closed up, remaining more than half open. In taking these rudimental insects, and gathering some of the leaves of the Urtica for the larvæ to feed on, I somehow got stung rather severely, in spite of all my care. I well remember the sharp permanent pain from the sting of that nettle, which lasted four days,^* and was always increased through washing or wetting my hands.

Four days after I again visited that spot and Urtica shrub for the last time that season (as I was to return to Napier the next day), and found 3 more larvæ and 2 chrysalides, and brought them all away. Arriving at Napier on the 2nd May, I placed the larvæ, with a quantity of fresh leaves, in a large white glass bottle; on the 4th, one of the larvæ had suspended itself to the (bored) cork of the bottle; on the 6th it cast its larva-skin and partly took up the chrysalis appearance, but was very wet at first; and on the 7th it assumed the true chrysalis aspect. On the 9th another of the larvæ hung itself to the cork, head downwards, and commenced its transformation. On the 11th one of the chrysalides dropped off from the cork; I had noticed that this one was smaller and of a lighter colour. On the 18th another of the larvæ entered into its chrysalis state, also attaching itself to the cork of the bottle.

On the 19th one of the chrysalides I had brought in that state from the forest burst, and the perfect insect emerged; but, owing to the shallowness of the glass in which these forest chrysalides were confined, one wing had got stuck fast to the side of the bottle in the process of emerging, and so became contracted and rigid when dry, like a little plaited epaulette; while the other wing, being free, had attained to its full size and shape; but the poor creature was sadly lopsided. On the 21st another of the forest chrysalides split open, and the imago emerged—a beautiful sight,^* once seen, never to be forgotten.

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.

This was a fine and perfect specimen of this butterfly.

I regretted much those larvæ that entered into their pupa state here in Napier not emerging therefrom as perfect insects. I suspect this was owing either to their not having been fully fed down to the time of their entering into that state, or that they assumed it too early, and perhaps in an unhealthy state. As larvæ they were very voracious; it seemed as if they were always eating, night and day; so that my stock of Urtica leaves that had cost me so dearly were soon disposed of. On their being used up I tried the hungry creatures with several other leaves of Maori plants, but none would they touch. That shrub itself, though a large bushy and spreading one (about 5ft. high and several feet round), with several others, smaller ones, close by, almost always presented a sorry sight from their leaves being so gnawed and stripped; hence I had always some difficulty in procuring good specimens of it for drying and preserving. Those Urtica plants, however, recovered themselves throughout the winter, and were fully

strange noises, and adjusting her feathers to suit her scornful affected prude demeanour. Then the disappointed beau would slowly retire, making other peculiar sounds, to his end of the branch; when the lady would again come forward, very slowly and coquettingly, to her old position, and in a short time the gentleman owl would re-enact the solemn fun as before, only to be again served in the same kind of way. Such a mixture of strange sounds and grimaces, of pure bird persiflage, was unique and unusual. Words fail me fully to describe them; it was most ludicrous to behold them. The usual solemn gravity of the bird seems to have been abandoned or burlesqued. I watched them for about half an hour, when, as their play was still being carried on without alteration, I returned to my tent. I could not help thinking, from observing the extreme suitableness of that long horizontal half-denuded branch, with its bunch of leafy sprays at both ends, for their wooing and serenading,—and bearing in mind how confined the owl naturally is in its short flights, and prone to return to its haunts and perches,—that that branch was used as an old trysting-place by owls. I did laugh most heartily, though quietly, at this serio-comic performance; and whenever I have thought thereon, during these many subsequent years, it has always caused me to laugh outright.

I dare say some of my audience are acquainted with that charming book of Natural History, Gilbert White's “History of Selborne,” so highly prized at home by our fathers. To those who know it, I need not say anything about it; but to those who do not, I would say—it is a most interesting book, written by an accomplished and loving naturalist, a keen and attentive observer of Nature in her manifold forms, but especially at home in his many and diverse observations on birds, as well as other animals: it is not a “dry” book. Mr. White was born at Selborne, in Hampshire, England, where, after his return from the University of Oxford, he quietly resided all his days, so spending an amiable, unambitious, and useful life, and died at an advanced age, much regretted. He steadily refused all church preferment, and during the last few years of his life officiated as curate of Selborne. His standard work has gone through several editions, and has always been highly esteemed by all lovers of Nature. Here I may be allowed to give a short sentence from its preface, written by himself exactly a hundred years ago (1788): “If the writer should at all appear to have induced any of his readers to pay a more ready attention to the wonders of the creation, too frequently overlooked as common occurrences, his purpose will be fully answered. But if he should not have been successful in any of these his intentions, yet there remains this consolation behind—that these his pursuits, by keeping

the body and mind employed, have, under Providence, contributed to much health and cheerfulness of spirits, even to old age.”

Among his numerous scientific correspondents, one, who then stood prominently, was the celebrated working British naturalist Pennant, who was himself a correspondent of Linnæus. (Some of thé works of Pennant are on our libraryshelves: and his name is maintained and recorded among us in this country as that of a botanical genus, in our curious New Zealand forest-tree, Pennantia, so named by Forster.) And in an early letter from White to Pennant he makes a very similar complaint to that which I also drew your attention to in my “Presidential Address” four months ago. White says: “It has been my misfortune never to have had any neighbours whose studies have led them towards the pursuit of natural knowledge; so that, for want of a companion to quicken my industry and sharpen my attention, I have made but slender progress in a kind of information to which I have been attached from my childhood.”

To return. On this subject of the variations in the hooting of owls, White has some shrewd remarks, bearing, I think, on this part of owl-conduct I have just narrated; though it does not appear that White, or his correspondents, had known the reason or cause of the variations they had noticed in the owldialect. White says: “A friend remarks that most of his owls hoot in B flat; but that one went almost half a note below A. The pipe he tried their notes by was a common half-crown pitch-pipe, such as masters use for the tuning of harpsichords; it was the common London pitch.” And, again, White remarks: “A neighbour of mine, who is said to have a nice ear, remarks that the owls about this village hoot in three different keys—in G flat or F sharp, in B flat, and A flat. He heard two hooting to each other, the one in A flat and the other in B flat. Query: Do these different notes proceed from different species, or only from various individuals?” (loc. cit., pp. 234, 235.)

Other and very interesting remarks by White, on owls, are to be found in his letters. An extract from one in particular I will give you. It is contained in a letter to the Hon. Daines Barrington, whom you may remember hearing of as taking a long journey (in those days) to Mousehole, at the extreme end of Cornwall (close to my native place, and not far from the Land's End), to see and converse with the celebrated old fisherwoman, Dolly Pentreath—said to have been the last person who spoke the ancient Cornish language. White says: “We have had ever since I can remember a pair of white owls that constantly bred under the eaves of this church. As I have paid good attention to the manner of life of these

birds during their season of breeding, which lasts the summer through, the following remarks may not be unacceptable: About an hour before sunset (for then the mice begin to run) they sally forth in quest of prey, and hunt all round the hedges of meadows and small enclosures for them, which seem to be their only food. In this irregular country we can stand on an eminence and see them beat the fields over like a setting-dog, and often drop down in the grass or corn. I have minuted these birds by my watch for an hour together, and have found that they return to their nest, the one or the other of them, about once in five minutes; reflecting at the same time on the adroitness that every animal is possessed of as far as regards the well-being of itself and offspring. But a piece of address, which they show when they return loaded, should not, I think, be passed over in silence. As they take their prey with their claws, so they carry it in their claws to their nest: but, as their feet are necessary in their ascent under the tiles, they constantly perch first on the roof of the chancel, and shift the mouse from their claws to their bill, that their feet may be at liberty to take hold of the plate on the wall as they are rising under the eaves… The plumage of the remiges of the wings of every species of owl that I have yet examined is remarkably soft and pliant. Perhaps it may be necessary that the wings of these birds should not make much resistance or rushing, that they may be enabled to steal through the air unheard upon a nimble and watchful quarry… When brown owls hoot their throats swell as big as a hen's egg. I have known an owl of this species live a full year without any water. Perhaps the case may be the same with all birds of prey. When owls fly they stretch out their legs behind them as a balance to their heavy heads; for as most nocturnal birds have large eyes and ears they must have large heads to contain them. Large eyes, I presume, are necessary to collect every ray of light, and large concave ears to command the smallest degree of sound or noise” (l.c., pp. 245, 246).

And all these apt quotations naturally bring me back to the main subject of this paper—our little New Zealand owl.

Probably none of you present have ever been in an unfrequented New Zealand forest many years ago—say, half a century, or forty years. Then those woods teemed with bird-life, so widely different to what has obtained of later years. Then our little New Zealand owl was to be often seen snugly ensconced in some sheltered umbrageous nook, and not unfrequently nestling close under the fronds of the tree-fern (Cyathea dealbata). There, for me, such would have ever remained unmolested, but not so by the smaller birds—denizens of the forest; for, as soon as his retreat

was discovered by them, the battle, or rather the mobbing, began. The incessant noise the little fellows made brought up their friends from all quarters, and I have been sometimes astonished to see the great number—the cloud—of those small birds so quickly got together; and then, too, their apparent fearlessness or carelessness of my presence, of which they seemed to take no notice, so filled with rage were they and so very intent on insulting their common enemy. But while they would often fly up quite close to him, yet they never laid hold of him or touched him with their beaks; not a feather flew. Still the owl did not like it, and tried hard to get at them without removing from his perch, by thrusting forth his head and fiercely snapping his beak; and while I could see the difference in the dilation of the pupils of his eyes, which sometimes glared on the disturbers of his sleep and peace, yet I doubted if he clearly saw them, although he must have heard them plainly enough. I have never known the owl at such times to make any sound. Occasionally I have seen the so-persecuted bird fly away to some other neighbouring tree or bush; but in so doing he would generally make a woeful mistake, sometimes by coming abruptly against a branch, or between the close-growing canes of supplejacks (Rhipogonum), and sometimes by lighting in a less secure place, where the enemy could surround him, and then another fly-away would take place, and I have watched him to fly back to his old quarters; but it always seemed as if there would be no rest, no peace, for him while day-light lasted; and then, no doubt, the tables were turned upon his persecutors with heavy interest.

There being formerly no mice in this country, and I suppose our little New Zealand owl was far too diminutive to attack the now extinct New Zealand rat, and the small birds of the woods being then so exceedingly plentiful, these no doubt formed its chief articles of food, and this the little aerial legions well knew, and so naturally united to persecute him. I have good reasons, however, for knowing that some of our larger insects, especially of the Orthopterous order, as the big grasshoppers in the plains, and the wetas (Deinacrida and Hemideina) in the forests, formed a portion of the food of our owl; and now since mice have been introduced and become so numerous, and the indigenous small birds on the other hand have become so scarce, our owl does his share in the economy of nature to keep their number down, and therefore should never be wantonly destroyed as if he were an enemy and invader of the “rights of man.”

Before I close I would briefly refer to that exquisitely conceived and highly natural legendary fable of the ancient Maoris—viz., the great fixed “battle between the land and

country east of the central or dividing range, as it has been longer colonised and more adapted to agriculture and the depasturing of sheep and cattle than the bush lands west of the Alps. In the more settled or gold-mining centres of the west coast the same changes—disastrous to the flora and fauna alike—are now proceeding, but nowhere so rapidly as they have done on the east coast. A record of the modification and extinction among the fauna alone since the settlement of the colony would form a volume of great value. But as this is now impossible, it will be well to urge workers in all branches of zoology in New Zealand to collect all available material without delay, and record their researches from time to time. Following this method, I desire to place before this society tonight some observations on the ornithology of the Lake Brunner region of Grey County, West Coast. I am induced to offer a paper on the birds inhabiting the lake district, as the bush remains in its primeval state, and many of the anomalous and more specialised forms, formerly existing, but now extinct, east of the Alps, enjoy in it a fairly genial home. This, however, is destined soon to change, as the new Midland Railway when constructed will extend through part of the valley and near the shores of the lake for half its length. As the country becomes cleared and settled, only a few years will suffice to modify and extinguish much of the rich flora and fauna now existing in these beautiful and stern solitudes.

Very few writers on the zoology of New Zealand have dealt with this subject, yet the ordinary observer cannot fail to have detected the many changes proceeding continuously among various groups of animals. In the orders Lepidoptera, Cole-optera, Diptera, Orthoptera, and especially the Hymenoptera, a vast number of species have become locally extinct. Some are slowly diminishing, while others remain almost stationary, or continue to increase. In these several orders it will be found that the most specialised forms are the first to succumb. Although many have become locally extinct, or have been driven from their former haunts, some are still found where the features of the country remain unchanged, or the flora less modified. As the land is put under cultivation, or sheep and cattle are put to depasture on the native vegetation, the flora and fauna are soon more or less modified and become partly extinct.

There can be no doubt that the same causes affecting the extinction of our plants and insects can be shown to act in turn on the species of birds now fast dying out. The causes in New Zealand are clearing and cultivation, modification of climate, and the introduction of injurious and predatory forms. As many of our plants and insects are wholly dependent on each other for existence, any cause affecting the one affects the

other. As the supply of insect-food lessens, some species of birds chiefly depending on it decrease according to the supply and rate of reduction. From peculiar habits in the economy of such species, they appear incapable of changing their food, habits, or environment, and ultimately become extinct. The extirpation of other species again is due to the ravages of introduced predaceous animals.

The cold winter of 1883, followed in the spring by severe late frosts, and the continuous cold wet summer of 1883–84, produced a wide-spread failure of the food of many species of birds. In the winter and spring followed the irruption of parakeets, extending over the whole of the east coast of the South Island, and the irruption or “plague” of rats on the west coast, which swarmed into some of the towns and villages. The tui and korimako left their home in the bush and migrated across the open country to procure food. All were in miserable condition and on the verge of starvation. They daily visited the flower-borders, and eagerly probed with their brushtongues the scarlet and yellow tube-flowers of Tritomia uvaria. The same season the wood-pigeon was miserably lean, being compelled to feed on the leaves of the kowhai and other trees, which cannot nourish and fatten like the fleshy nutritious-berries of the miro and others. The bush-rats (Mus rattus), which depend for food during a part of the year on the ripe berries falling from the trees, were likewise compelled to migrate in search of food. In the same year the habits of the kaka (Nestor meridionalis) and the silver-eye (Zosterops lateralis) were affected in a similar manner and from the same cause. I collected several specimens of the former in a plantation of English trees near Oamaru, all in a wretchedly weak and lean condition. Their presence was a rare occurrence in the district, which is about thirty-five miles from the nearest native bush. The silver-eye or “blight bird” frequented the gardens in the settled districts in unusual numbers, and attacked the ripe fruits, nothing coming amiss to them. All the species affected were in wretched plumage, and their bodies were infested with a species of Acarus.

The New Zealand quail (Coturnias novæ-zealandiæ) is often cited as showing how rapidly a species will become extinct. Frequently we hear the old colonists speaking of the great numbers of quail inhabiting the grassy plains in the early days of Canterbury. In a few years, however, without any apparent cause, they vanished, until at the present time not a single living quail exists in the islands. Their disappearance is generally attributed by ornithologists to the burning of sheep-runs or native-grass lands. Probably this is the principal cause which has effected the extirpation of this useful and beautiful gallinaceous bird.

In the early days of the colony, when the species flourished on the plains, vast swarms of caterpillars infested the open grassy country, living in the dense tussock (Poa). In a few years after the annual burning of the sheep-runs commenced, the caterpillars disappeared from the plains and attacked the cereal crops, working great destruction among them. Some years after the introduction of the house-sparrow, which increased at an unprecedented rate, the caterpillars were soon reduced in numbers, and are now no more trouble to the agriculturist. They were the larva of the yellow underwing moth, still to be obtained feeding on the introduced Cape broom.

The moth (Botys polygonalis) is double-brooded, the first brood appearing in August and September, the second in January and February. The larva is abundant every year, often to such an extent as to cause the complete defoliation of the food-plant. The species would unquestionably increase, and probably again become troublesome to farmers, but for the presence of the house-sparrow, which hunts vigorously in the hedges for the larvæ, and keeps them in check. As the plant is not indigenous, the moth has apparently acquired a special taste in selecting it as the food of the larva, the colours of both assimilate closely, which affords some protection to the species.

On good land, where the tussock-grass is thick and allowed to remain unburned for a number of years, the ground is soon covered with a considerable thickness of dead grass. In this, many species of Coleoptera and the chrysalis of moths can, at all seasons, be found. Such were precisely the natural conditions of the plains in the days of the quail, excepting that they were on a superior scale, and the food-supply at all times more abundant. A fire sweeping over a large area of such country^* would effectually annihilate all insect life in its course, and leave the country black and bare. Frequently the fires raged for several days and nights

together, and spread for many miles across the then open country.

Apart from the utter destruction of the food, the dense tussock afforded the natural warmth and shelter for the birds during inclement weather and chiefly inclement nights; the sudden removal of both would, therefore, act powerfully on the economy and habits of the quail. The species, like other birds in their respective orders now becoming extinct in New Zealand, was a highly specialised form among gallinaceous birds, and depended on special conditions, such as I have pointed out, for its existence. The effects of the fires and of clearing and cultivation on the climate, though perhaps at the time inappreciable to man, would aid likewise in exterminating the species.

No more interesting or profitable district could be visited by the botanist or ornithologist in New Zealand than around the shores of Lake Brunner. The magnificent primeval forest is due to the greater humidity of the lake valley as compared with many other parts of the west coast, and to the great depth of vegetable mould, or rich virgin soil, which covered the whole face of the country before the forest spread over it. I have seen most of the great bush-lands of New Zealand, but nowhere can the vegetation of the bush be seen in such profusion and perfection, rivalling in luxuriance the tropical American forests so fully recorded in the admirable works of Bates on the Amazons, and Belt on Nicaragua.

Among the rich groves of tree-ferns the kakapo (Stringops) and the kiwi (Apteryx) have their home. In the saplings of taller growth and among the branches of the towering timbertrees many birds revel and enliven the bush through the day with their rich and varied notes. As evening comes on, the calls of nocturnal and semi-nocturnal species are heard. In the dwarf ferns, the weka moves stealthily about, silently peering into the tent, ready to pick up any bright object and carry it off, to be left and lost in the bush. In the branches of decaying trees the kaka is busy searching in the bark and hollows for insects, uttering, as it flies from tree to tree, a hoarse discordant scream. The little owl (Spiloglaux) answers from all directions the call of “morepork.” The croaking of the kakapo, busily, among the ferns and lower branches, consuming the leaves, and the shrill night-cry of the kiwi, are the only sounds which nightly disturb the serene silence of the forest.

In my paper to-night it will be impossible to treat the subject so fully as I would wish in the limited time; I will, therefore, confine myself to a few remarks on each species in the list here appended. It is possible, however, that other species omitted from the list may exist in the lake region

If so, they must be of rarer occurrence than any I have enumerated, and were never observed there by me. I may add that my object in writing this paper is to illustrate the ornithology of Lake Brunner as it is in 1888, and before the physical features of the country are changed and many of the birds become extinct in the district—a result which will inevitably follow the construction of the Midland Railway and the subsequent clearing and settlement.

Appended is the list of birds inhabiting the lake district.

Hieracidea brunnea (Bush-hawk).

It is intensely interesting to watch a pair of these falcons hovering and circling high above the bush, poising motionless for some seconds, and darting forward at intervals to perform their graceful circling flight, meanwhile uttering their “loud petulant scream.” Sir Walter Buller, in his great work on the birds of New Zealand, has described the vehement screaming of this hawk when flying high as an excellent indication of changes in the barometer. As there is more bad weather on the west coast than on the east, and the bird is common, I had good opportunities in the vicinity of the lake of noting the screaming of the bush-hawk in relation to the weather, and invariably found it to be succeeded by bad weather. The days on which they perform their high screaming flights is followed by nights of continuous and loud calling of the wekas and kiwis, both of which are equally good indicators of bad weather approaching.

The nest of this little falcon is placed on the top of some old dead tree-stem, broken off some distance from the ground, or in a hanging mass of climbers. It boldly assails any intruder near its eyrie, and screams vociferously while assailing him. As the food-supply is abundant around the lake, and the birds are rarely molested, they will remain common for some years to come.

Circus gouldi (New Zealand Harrier).

I observed the harrier occasionally circling around the mouth of the Ahuna River, an influent near the top of the lake, but it rarely enters the bush in search of prey. Judging from the direct line of flight I have observed them taking, I am of opinion that they pass up the Arnold River from the coast, and cross the open lake as a near route to the open country at the head waters of the Teremakau River, where the species is common. Owing to the dense bush it cannot procure food in the lake valley.

Spiloglaux novæ-zealandiæ (Morepork Owl).

Common around the lake and the whole course of the Arnold River.

Stringops habroptilus (Owl Parrot, or Kakapo).

This remarkable bird is now becoming rare at Lake Brunner. It was exceedingly plentiful at the time of the Kangaroo gold-rush in the district over twenty years ago. Since then it has diminished in numbers, and bids fair to be numbered with other species now rapidly becoming extinct. Being nocturnal in their habits, they emerge from their hiding-places in the evening to feed, and climb among the lower branches, consuming the soft vegetation. When several are feeding together, they continue throughout the night to answer each other's calls, or hoarse mutterings, uttered while masticating their food. On very dark nights it is pleasing to steal as near them as possible and listen to them nibbling at the tender leaves, while they croak and mutter continuously. By the morning their crops are enlarged to their full extent with the nutritious green food consumed during the night. On moonlight nights their sight is clearer, and they take advantage of this to roam farther from their hiding-places to feed. On the outskirts of the bush several may be seen together waddling leisurely along towards some favourite feeding-grounds, returning, when their hunger is appeased, to their usual hiding-place. The latter is generally in or about the decayed roots of old trees or hollow prostrate trunks. It is sometimes easy to find their homes by the presence of little trodden paths leading to them.

Nestor meridionalis (Kaka Parrot).

The kaka parrot is very common in the lake valley. Belonging to the family of honey-sucking parrots, they repair in the spring to the blooming kowhai trees, and regale themselves on the flowers. While thus engaged, they allow a near approach. It is then most interesting to observe them climbing among the pale-green foliage and seizing a bunch of the yellow flowers, carefully and gently pressing the receptacle of the flowers between the tongue and softly-lined overlapping upper beak, and sucking the honey. The structure of the flower is peculiarly adapted to the process, which is performed without any injury to it. The kaka's repast is not, however, obtained without some effort. Naturally somewhat clumsy in their movements, they sometimes experience difficulties in reaching the masses of flowers on the tips of the branches owing to the very brittle nature of the twigs. They, however, fully realise this, and instinctively select the flowers on the stronger branches. When within reach, they hold firmly to the branch and, stretching the neck to its full length, seize and draw the flowers towards them with the beak. One foot is then used to hold the flowers, while the other holds firmly to the branch and steadies the bird when sucking the honey. The weight

of the bird will sometimes cause the branch to bend down to the lower ones, which affords a slight support.

The kaka's habit of breaking twigs with its powerful beak when searching for food is simply to clear its course and to allow more scope and freedom to its movements.

Nestor notabilis (Kea, or Mountain Parrot).

Although the kea is not, as far as I know, an inhabitant of the naked mountain-tops overlooking Lake Brunner, I may here mention that the range of the species continues to extend farther north every year, and may soon extend to the higher ranges in Westland. When Sir Walter Buller published his last paper on the kea five years ago, he gave the ranges on the upper reaches of the Rakaia as its extreme northern limit. During the last three winters it has visited the ranges above the Otira Gorge, thus showing its range to be extending northwards.

Platycercus novæ-zealandiæ (Red-fronted Parrakeet).

P. auriceps (Yellow-fronted Parrakeet).

Both species are abundant in the bush around the lake, the first-named being the most numerous. In fruitful seasons the food-supply of the parrakeets in this district must be prodigious, the berry-bearing trees being both robust and plentiful. The two great irruptions during the last ten years must have considerably lessened their numbers. Severe, late, or early frosts are probably the chief cause of the failure of their food-supply, compelling them to cross over the ranges and devastate the orchards in the eastern districts. During the two irruptions they perished in thousands, as every possible method was tried to trap and destroy them; yet they compensated the settlers to a great extent by consuming the seeds of many noxious weeds, which they attacked when the green fruit in the orchards had been destroyed by them. I often observed them in large flights, consuming the seeds of Chenopodium urbicum, an introduced weed, which grows to the height of 4ft. and 5ft., and spreads rapidly. They vigorously attacked the seeds of the various species of Sonchus, or sow-thistles; the dock (Rumex obtusifolius), which grows in large masses on the bottom of sluggish watercourses; the Yorkshire fog (Holcus mollis); and many other injurious plants.

The present year has been an unprecedentedly cold and wet one on the west coast, the result of which will be worth noting, as bearing on the economy of the parrakeets and other species.

Eudynamis taitensis (Long-tailed Cuckoo).

Chrysococcyx lucidus (Shining Cuckoo).

Both species of migratory cuckoos; they visit the bush in

the Grey Valley and Lake District annually in great numbers. They arrive in the first week in October and depart in the middle of March, the large Polynesian species being the first to depart, followed in a week or ten days by the smaller Australian form. After their arrival the long-tailed cuckoo is an object of almost continual persecution by the tuis, which boldly assail and pursue it through the bush, at the same time uttering their wild alarm-call. The superior and dashing flight of the cuckoo, however, soon places it out of danger for a time, and is its only mode of escape, as it is able to offer only a feeble resistance against a number of angry tuis.

Prosthemadera novæ-zealandiæ (Tui, or Parson-bird).

Anthournis melanura (Korimako, or Bell-bird).

In fine weather the bush along the south shores of Lake Brunner re-echoes with the rich notes of the tui and korimako, busy in their season among the blooms of the kowhai (Sophora tetraptera) and rata (Metrosideros robusta). There is no picture more beautiful in nature than the sight of these two charming songsters, clinging and swinging in grotesque postures in the sunshine on the brilliant crimson blooms of the rata, sipping the nectar, and flying every few minutes to some bough, and uttering their rich song. When suspended, the deep metallic lustre of the tui's plumage contrasts beautifully with the masses of crimson flowers during the season of rata blooms (March and April) so plentiful at the lake. The tui and korimako come to the trees and remain there so long as the blooms support them. They then disperse among the warmer valleys of the bush, and subsist during the wet winter months chiefly on insects, until the return of spring, when the melliferous blooms of the kowhai again supply them with the necessary food. Although both species have disappeared from, or have become rare in, many former haunts east of the Alps, they still exist in great numbers in the Grey Valley and throughout the Westland bush. The tui is much more numerous than the korimako.

Zosterops lateralis (Silver-eye).

This species is exceedingly common in the bush. As the colder weather sets in they congregate in flocks of several hundreds, and leave the higher bush-lands for the lower valleys, visiting the huts and villages of the diggers, voraciously devouring all suitable food which they meet with in their course. Like the kea (Nestor notabilis) they have acquired a stong penchant for fresh meat, especially raw fat. They eagerly attack the meat in the butchers' shops, fluttering over and hustling each other in their eagerness to obtain food. While thus engaged they utter shrill excited notes, which are pleasing to hear.

Orthonyx ochrocephala (Yellow-head).

Commonest on the south shores of the lake. In some seasons it is more numerous thán in others. Some notes are given on this species, associated with the saddleback.

Gerygone flaviventris (Grey Warbler).

The grey warbler is plentiful in all the forests in Westland. As the chief foster-parent of the two species of parasitic cuckoos, the latter will never, under ordinary circumstances, become rare while the rearing of their young is intrusted to the care of this cheerful and industrious little bird. The warbler's merry song is heard throughout the day, as it actively flits through the undergrowth in search of food. It is exceedingly lively in all its actions. While warbling, the white-tipped tail is often spread to form a fan, and its whole motions are full of life and activity. The beautiful pensile nest it constructs is an interesting object in bird-architecture, the site selected being generally on the outer branches of the manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) or other dense small-leaved tree or shrub, where it is safe from the attacks of enemies. Although the grey warbler does not decrease in numbers, it cannot be classed with many otherwise favoured species, owing to its having a “double debt to pay”—namely, the rearing of its own brood and the young of the parasitic cuckoos; but nature has fully compensated for this by endowing the species with a life the most active, cheerful, and diligent of all our native birds, and thus enabling it to perform the onerous duties perfectly.

Acanthisitta chloris (Rifleman).

The feeble note of this diminutive bird is oftener heard in the bush than the bird is seen. It is more common near the summits of the lower bush-covered mountains near the lake than in the valleys. It is a very timid species, and has a habit of keeping on the opposite side of the tree-trunks to that on which the observer is moving, which explains the cause of it being very seldom seen.

Xenicus longipes (Bush Wren).

Common some distance up the bushy slopes, where the vegetation is not so dense as near the lake. It delights to climb the moss-covered saplings, searching for minute insects secreted among the moss. When disturbed it utters alarm-notes, which are answered by others near; at the same time it endeavours to conceal itself in the thickest scrub, or, hopping and climbing up the trees, it disappears among the higher branches.

Miro albifrons (South Island Robin).

The wood-robin is an almost constant attendant when roaming in the bush or about the tents. Its habits are in some respects similar to the yellow-breasted tit (Myiomoira macrocephala)—jealously chasing each other round the tents, and disputing their rights to crumbs of bread or other food thrown to them. When seated outside the tent they will frequently settle on the boots, darting off to pick up crumbs, returning again and again, and becoming very familiar. They are encouraged and protected by the gold-diggers, who allow them to enter their tents and huts and to hop on the table to share their own meals. The song of the wood-robin in the lonely bush is in all seasons enjoyable. It is the first astir with the earliest streak of dawn, and, with the fantails, is the last to retire in the evening, when the gloomy twilight silently closes over the bush.

Halcyon vagans (Kingfisher).

The kingfisher is abundant about the lake, frequenting the mouths of the streams flowing slowly into it. The food-supply is enormous, as the shallow edges of the streams teem with the small bull-trout.

In autumn, when the grayling ascends the Arnold River, large numbers of kingfishers withdraw from the lake and subsist on the smaller-sized fish of this beautiful and useful species. When the colder months set in many descend the Arnold to the more open and sunny flats on the Grey River, subsisting on insects and small bull-trout “or bullys” until the arrival of the whitebait.

In the Grey during the whitebait season (September and October) the birds are very numerous, and can be seen sunning themselves on dead trees or old naked stumps all along the lower Grey Valley.

Myiomoira macrocephala (Yellow-breasted Tit).

Among the undergrowth of the bush the sprightly yellow-breasted tits flit gracefully about, and sportingly chase each other through the branches, gently fluttering their wings, erecting their crests, and uttering a suppressed twitter as they sit eyeing each other on the boughs or clinging to the stems of the trees, and exhibiting the peculiar jealousy of the wood-robin about the tents. They are plentiful in the district, and more wary than many other species. In the bush near old settled districts on the west coast they are still abundant. Their food, which consists of worms, larvæ, chrysalides, and insects, is plentiful in all seasons in the bush.

Rhipidura flabellifera (Pied Fantail).

R. fuliginosa (Black Fantail).

On the outskirts of the bush the pied and black fantails are daily on the wing, eagerly consuming the sandflies so troublesome in the bush. In dull or wet weather these birds are busy on the shores of the lake, flitting lightly over the water beneath the overhanging branches, and performing graceful evolutions in the air in pursuit of their prey. Both species are abundant around the lake. Their food, the common sandfly (Limulia australiensis), is abundant—a fact which is well known to visitors or dwellers in the West Coast bush.

Turnagra crassirostris (South Island Thrush).

The South Island or thick-billed thrush is still fairly numerous at the lake, but has disappeared from the lower gullies of the Arnold, between Stillwater (now named Richardson) and the Arnold gold-diggings. Fifteen or twenty years ago this species existed in great numbers on the Maori Gully goldfield, and fed around the huts and tents of the diggers, frequently entering and hopping on the floors picking crumbs, but gradually their numbers diminished until at the present time not a single thrush exists on the goldfield. Like the British species (Turdus musicus), the early morning or evening is the best time to hear its splendid notes and call, or to study its habits, it being then most active. A few hours after sunrise they cease to sing or to answer each other's notes, and generally remain silent in fine weather during the day among the tree-ferns and lower branches of the trees. In dull or wet weather they move about among the higher branches in search of food, and avoid the heavy drip of the thick undergrowth. Like other species, as the wood-robin, the yellow-breasted tit, the crow, and weka, it is easily attracted to the spot where any unusual noise is produced in the bush near its haunts, often coming almost within reach of the individual attracting it, spreading its beautiful rich brown tail, moving sideways along the branch, and turning its body right and left, meanwhile examining the stranger closely. It is, however, a powerful flier, and flies with great precision through the tangled vegetation. I have observed it several times performing such flights; resting almost motionless for some minutes on a high limb of a tree, it would suddenly ruffle its feathers, and, dropping from the limb, fly with great force through the thick undergrowth, reappearing again on a high limb some distance away. One bird I watched uttered a wild jubilant note as it dropped from its perch to repeat its flights from tree to tree. It is probably a habit peculiar to the

pairing season, as I never observed them performing such flights at other times of the year.

Glaucopis cinerea (Yellow-wattled Crow).

This is another remarkable and beautiful species now rapidly approaching extinction. Like other ground-feeders it is exceedingly tame, and falls an easy prey to dogs and cats, large numbers perishing annually from this cause alone. The nest, which is generally placed in some low scrub, is easily reached by cats and rats, and in some localities where both are numerous the parent birds rarely succeed in rearing a brood. While staying at Lake Brunner for fourteen months, and travelling great distances in all directions every day, excepting in wet or windy weather, we never obtained or observed a single young crow. Occasionally an adult bird came around the tents, moving spiritedly, and hopping tamely about the tent-door, picking crumbs or other suitable morsels of food, but only once did we observe a pair together. This occurred two miles up the Ahuna River from the lake, being at the end of October. They were probably paired for the season, and both were in perfect condition, the orange-coloured wattles being most conspicuous. One bird was slightly longer than the other, which, no doubt, was the male. We watched them silently for over an hour to ascertain if they were nesting. They, however, moved on through the bush towards the lake, when we left them, and returned on our course up the river.

Like the preceding species, the South Island crow is a beautiful object in its native haunts, its exceeding tameness allowing a close and perfect study of its habits. When observed clinging to the pale lichen-covered trunk of some old tree, or swinging on the large fronds of tree-ferns, it supplies a picture of bird-life only to be realised by studying birds in their native haunts.

An intelligent workman employed in the Land Survey Department informs me that the species is still plentiful in some of the south-west sounds.

Carpophaga novæ-zealandiæ (Wood-pigeon).

The wood-pigeon is exceedingly common in the Lake District. In fine weather large flights change quarters daily, flying from shore to shore or from one part of the bush to another to visit some favourite or seasonable berry-bearing trees. The presence of numbers of this splendid pigeon in March and April among the graceful foliage of the miro trees (Podocarpus ferruginea), moving through the branches and plucking the large fleshy scarlet berries, is another charming picture of bird-life in the New Zealand bush. A plentiful season of miro berries is invariably followed by a season of fat

pigeons. The berries are much relished by the birds, and are exceptionally nutritious and fattening. The nest of this species is placed in the thickest branches of the white and silver pines. As little wind blows in the spring in the forests of the west coast, they experience few difficulties in rearing a good brood annually.

The plumage of the wood-pigeon high among the branches is striking, the bronze-burnished pectus and white abdomen contrast beautifully with the green forest around.

Creadion carunculatus (Saddleback).

This species is sometimes gregarious, and moves through the bush during the colder months of the year in flights of from a dozen to fifty or more together. Several of the old gold-diggers on the River Arnold informed me that they have frequently observed flights of the saddleback following the flights of canaries (Orthonyx ochrocephala) as they fed through the bush. Probably no scene in bird-life is more attractive or beautiful than to observe a flock of yellowheads followed by a flock of saddlebacks. On the 2nd June, 1887, I rambled up Stoney Creek, a small stream which flows into the lake a little above the outlet of the Arnold. I had travelled on the banks and bed of the creek about a mile when I turned to the right, up a small narrow gully, in search of ferns or other botanical rarities. On reaching nearly the top of the gully, I heard the shrill, ringing notes of a flock of yellowheads. As I noticed them crossing the gully some distance above me, I moved on gently until I was under the branches on which the birds were passing over the gully. They numbered about two hundred, and were in rich plumage. They fed eagerly for some minutes among the branches of the trees; then, simultaneously uttering their call, they flew forward some yards and began to feed, until they again sounded the signal to advance, repeating it at short intervals, and passed on through the bush in this order.

Before the yellowheads had quite disappeared I heard the rich flute-notes of a flock of saddlebacks advancing. I climbed up the side of the gully and stood on the edge. Two males were the first to appear, followed by the remainder of the flock. They advanced in the line of the yellowheads; not so high among the branches as the latter, but more among the tree-ferns, while some fed among the ferns and mosses covering the ground. When they noticed me some approached closely, twittering, and elevating their tails. They moved about in a sprightly manner on the lower branches, within a few feet of my face, scanning me carefully, and wondering, perhaps, at the intruder on their solitary domain. They were exceedingly tame, and moved with great activity, halting at

intervals, and resting their breasts for a few seconds on the boughs, and again proceeded, searching eagerly for food among the ferns and mosses covering the ground. They were in the perfection of plumage. The saddle-shaped patch of rich brown extending over the back and shoulders, on the lustrous black ground, contrasted well with the deep green fronds of the tree-ferns. The sexes were about equal, and the plumage of some paler than others, which were young birds. They remained hopping on the branches and ferns near me for about seven minutes, and disappeared slowly in the track of the yellowheads.

The purpose served in the saddlebacks' economy in following the flocks of yellowheads is unquestionably to obtain food. The latter, in moving through the bush, will disturb numerous large insects, which they reject, and which are consumed by the saddlebacks following them. The rich insect fauna in some parts of the bush in Westland at certain seasons will account for the appearance of flocks of the native insectivorous birds in these districts. The flights of yellowheads must be entirely regulated by, or restricted to, the supply of food. Where the bush remains in its primeval state they remain numerous; where it is partly cleared or disturbed, this species and many others diminish in numbers and ultimately vanish from the locality. Although the saddlebacks are not dependent on the flights of yellowheads for food, they are able to obtain such by following them, and do not always travel in flocks, as they are occasionally seen singly and in pairs, in some of the gullies of the Arnold and around the lakes, but are now very rare compared to the numbers which inhabited the banks of the Arnold fifteen or twenty years ago.

I was attracted early one morning in March towards some old fallen and decayed timber, where I heard some peculiar tapping sounds. On cautiously reaching the place I found a saddleback busily digging in the decayed timber for the larvæ of the huhu beetle (Prionoplus reticularis). The tappings and actions of the bird resembled much those of the green woodpecker (Picea viridis) of Britain in its mode of procuring food.

Ocydromus australis (South Island Weka).

Common on the bushy slopes of the mountains on the north side of the lake. It is more common in the valley of the Crooked River than near the shores. They are exceedingly tame and inquisitive, and come about the tents, often remaining around the camp for weeks, picking up crumbs of bread or scraps of meat thrown out. When a number collect near the camp it is almost impossible to sleep, owing to their loud calls through the night. They give much trouble

in camp by entering the tents and pulling or tossing over all movable objects, unless all is left secure.

Ocydromus fuscus (Black Weka).

This darker species or variety is not so plentiful as the preceding one. It inhabits the slopes of the lower bush-clad mountains bounding the lake on the south. It is also a more timid form. But there is no appreciable difference in their call, excepting that this species is slightly the shriller of the two.

Ortygometra tabuensis (Swamp-crake).

The swamp-crake is uncommon about the lake. It frequents the shallow lagoons, concealing itself in patches of Carex growing around them.

Porphyrio melanotus (Swamp-hen).

Common in the more open places. They appear to obtain good food, as all I observed were exceptionally fine birds, in perfect plumage.

Himantopus leucocephala (White-headed Stilt).

H. novæ-zealandiæ (Black Stilt).

Both species frequent the shores of the lake and the narrow sandy flats on the Ahuna and Crooked Rivers, the former being the most numerous. It is interesting to stand among the thick vegetation, or behind some tree, and watch them stalking gracefully along the shallow shores in search of food, suddenly taking flight and flying some distance, to recommence the search in fresh places.

Strepsilas interpres (Turnstone).

Occurs among the rough beds of boulders on the Ahuna River, but never at any time numerous.

Hæmatopus longirostris (Pied Oyster-catcher).

H. unicolor (Black Oyster-catcher).

I observed three specimens only of the first-named species at the lake, but I occasionally heard them flying over the district seawards at a great height. The black species inhabits the sands near the mouth of the Ahuna River, but is never very plentiful.

Ardea alba (White Heron).

This magnificent bird—the white, crane of the Europeans, the kotuku of the Maoris—still lingers among the secluded lagoons on the bush-flats in the vicinity of Lake Brunner. They are beautiful objects when seen sitting leisurely on the edge of the water. When alarmed they rise, flapping somewhat clumsily, ascending spirally in the air until a considerable height is reached; then, taking some more direct course, the legs are drawn up close to the tail, and they sail away

lightly through the air. I regret that time will not allow of my adding a few more remarks on this splendid species.

Ardea sacra (Blue Heron).

Common in the summer and autumn, when eels and grayling are plentiful in the Arnold and the lake.

Ardea maculata (Little Bittern).

I lately sent a note to the Ibis announcing the capture of two specimens of the little bittern on the west coast within the last four years. One was taken at Lake Brunner four years ago; the other was shot last year in a lagoon north of Okarita, and is now in a private collection at Ross. In a rough country like the west coast, still imperfectly explored by ornithologists, it is probable the species may exist in good numbers among the remote lagoons. Naturally an exceedingly shy form, it would readily escape notice, as it is difficult for dogs to work or flush game out of the thick grass and sedges which generally cover the water in a dense mass. I have no doubt that other specimens will be collected as the country becomes cleared.

Botaurus pæciloptilus (Bittern).

Not uncommon among lagoons formed by small arms of the lake, or in the small bays choked with weeds. Also a shy species.

Anas superciliosa (Grey Duck).

During the shooting-season they appear in immense flocks on the lake. They are probably driven thither or take refuge on its waters from the guns of sportsmen in the Grey Valley and other localities. The food-supply is abundant in the weedy creeks and bays of the lake. All the birds we procured were in good condition.

Hymenolæmus malacorhynchus (Blue Duck).

More common on the Arnold River below the lake than elsewhere, where they rest on the stones jutting out of the rapid stream. They ascend the creeks in the bush where they find an ample supply of food. When wounded they are expert divers, diving in the rapid waters and reappearing long distances down stream.

Querquedula gibberifrons (Little Teal).

Common in some parts of the lake, about the sluggish creeks entering it.

Fuligula novæ-zealandiæ (New Zealand Scaup).

Not uncommon in the smaller bays, where it takes refuge among the beds of Carex and raupo.

Casarca variegata (Sheldrake or Paradise Duck).

This beautiful species is the largest and handsomest form in the order Anseres in New Zealand. It delights to live in the open country near broad river-beds composed of shingle and sand, or on grassy flats near lakes or pools of clear water. It is generally met with in pairs, but can often be seen flying in flocks, changing quarters from one district to another. Occasionally they reach Lake Brunner and disperse along the shores to feed for several days. Reassembling in a flock, they again take flight and leave the lake. Some years they are common in the valleys of the Grey and Teremakau Rivers, frequenting the sandy flats. Owing to the periodical flooding of these two great rivers they are compelled to seek fresh feeding-grounds, and during these short migrations they visit the lake.

C. variegata (Shoveller Duck).

The shoveller or spoonbill duck frequents the larger bays on the west side of the lake. I have detected them among the flocks of grey ducks resting in clear weather on the open lake, but never numerous. They are beautiful objects on the water in spring followed by a brood, and allow a near approach, gliding gently along the shore or into some sluggish creek to nibble among the weeds, or macerating vegetation to procure food for their young. On the west coast their food must differ considerably from that on the east, where they generally inhabit the estuaries of rivers.

Larus dominicanus (Southern Black-backed Gull).

L. scopulinus (Mackerel Gull).

The former is very common during the summer; the latter is an occasional visitant at the lake.

Sterna antarctica (Grey Tern).

Common in the nesting-season in the lake valley.

Podiceps cristatus (Crested Grebe).

The crested grebe has here a safe retreat from the ravages of sportsmen or collectors. No eye can equal the grebe's in its quickness of vision, nor can any bird compare with it for rapid diving. When feeding unobserved along the shore they are gentle and graceful, yet wary, in their movements. When alarmed they draw off into the open lake and are soon lost in the expanse of water.

Podiceps rufipectus (Dabchick).

Not uncommon on the lake; likewise expert divers. They frequent the bays on the north-west shore more than elsewhere, and are generally met with in pairs.

Phalacrocorax novæ-zealandiæ (Black Shag).

P. varius (Pied Shag).

P. brevirostris (White-throated Shag).

All these species inhabit Lake Brunner and the rivers of the lake valley, the pied and white-throated species being most plentiful. There is an ample supply of food at all seasons in the form of eels, grayling, and the two species of bull-trout. There are two shaggeries of varius on the Arnold, one on each side of the river below the lake, having about sixty nests in each, placed on trees all more or less overhanging the river. In fine weather they delight to rest in groups of young and old together on gnarled leaning stumps along the shore, some leisurely picking and oiling their feathers, others in easy natural positions, with the head under the wing or drawn close into the body, the plumage of the white-throated shag reflecting brilliantly in the sunshine. Like the blue duck, they rest frequently on the projecting boulders in mid stream, enjoying the spray of the surging waters.

Apteryx australis (South Island Kiwi).

The South Island kiwi exists in considerable numbers in the bush around the lake. It is most numerous on the east and north-east sides, where large patches of Sphagnum moss (S. cymbifolium) cover the damp bottom of the bush, in the places where the trees and undergrowth are thinnest. They generally live in pairs, and during the night visit the beds of Sphagnum moss, probing carefully through it with their long sensitive bill in search of minute larvæ, chrysalides, and worms. They affect the beds of leaf-mould, and probe vigorously through it procuring the large worms existing in the mould. They ramble through the night among the dense beds of ferns, consuming nocturnal insects. Their shrill call is heard loudest on dark and drizzly nights, or before rain, and is answered by other kiwis in every direction.

After examining some of the secluded habitats of the rarer species of birds on the west coast, I have no doubt that an ornithological ramble through the Westland bush, accompanied with one or two good dogs, would yet reveal the existence of Notornis mantelli, as the species is of shy and retiring habits. It would in all probability be found in the swampy parts of the bush, or about the sedgy lagoons some distance inland on the southern rivers of Westland. The country is difficult to explore, being composed for the most part of dense and trackless forest. The capture of a single specimen of this rara avis would, however, amply repay for all patience and toil expended in exploring the bush. If the Notornis still lingers in the South Island, the district I have mentioned is

captured by a party of rabbiters about the beginning of 1880, on the Maruroa Flat, on the east side of Lake Te Anau. This bird was also sent to England, and at the present time probably adorns the shelf of some foreign museum. Since the above date no fresh example of the Notornis has been secured, although much time has been spent in the search around Lake Te Anau.

My first acquaintance with this bird dates back to 1881. During the months of January and February of that year I was engaged, with Mr. A. McKay and Mr. John Buchanan, on a geological and botanical exploration of the Wanaka country. On the 20th of January we struck our camp at the forks of the Matukituki, opposite Mount Aspiring, and proceeded up the south branch of that river to Cascade Creek, a distance of eight or ten miles. Here we pitched our tents, at an altitude of 2,000ft. above the sea, in the shelter of the Fagus bush which covers all the slopes of the surrounding mountains and the greater portion of the river-flats.

Shortly after dusk our attention was attracted by the call of a strange bird which approached within a few chains of our camp, uttering at short intervals a loud booming note. Now, we were all pretty familiar with the calls of the different birds usually met with in the high lands of Otago, but the call of this bird was quite unlike any of them. We knew also the booming note of the bittern, which, although like this in kind, was left far behind both in volume and intensity. Besides, this was a high, mountainous, bush-covered country, ill adapted for this bird, which usually frequents raupo-swamps and creek-banks. After some deliberation we arrived at the conclusion that this was the Notornis, a determination subsequently borne out by facts which came under my own observation.

The next evening, with Mr. McKay's assistance, I lit a large bright fire in the bush, about four chains from the camp, knowing from experience that birds of nocturnal habits were often attracted by the light of a camp-fire. Retiring a short distance from the fire, we awaited the result. As we anticipated, in less than half an hour our friend of the previous evening approached, uttering his booming note as he walked about. We now crawled towards the fire, making as little noise as possible in passing over the dry twigs and leaves lying upon the ground. When we drew near, the bird retreated from the opposite side of the fire, and when we withdrew it again approached. This manæuvre was repeated several times without any success on our part; but at the same time it should be mentioned that the bird, by its movements, exhibited no signs of haste or alarm.

On several occasions we were probably within four yards

of it, and at these times when it uttered its note we could distinctly feel the ground vibrate beneath us. We, however, failed to catch a glimpse of it, as in the intense darkness of the forest this was quite impossible, excepting it chanced to get between us and the fire, which it carefully avoided doing.

The next day I examined the scene of the previous night's adventures, and found that the clear space below the matted branches of the scrub under which the bird had eluded us was about 20in. high, thus affording a means of approximately determining its height.

The Notornis remained in the vicinity of the camp during our stay at this place, being evidently more curious than alarmed at our presence. He generally sallied forth at dusk and retired at daybreak, his deep note completely dwarfing the cries of the kiwi and noisy kakapo.

On the 29th January we struck our tents and returned to our old camping-ground near the forks of the Matukituki. Shortly after dusk of this evening we heard the note of a Notornis, and, proceeding up the south branch to the upper end of the gorge, I disturbed the bird under a sandbank close to the river. On examining this spot I found that it had scraped a shallow hole in the dry sand, after the same manner, and probably for the same purpose, as the common barn-door fowl.

The river-flats at this place, situated about 1,700ft. above the sea, are covered with a scanty mixed bush, affording but little cover; the ground, however, is thickly strewn with large masses of rock which have fallen from the steep cliffs on the south side of the river, and below which the Notornis no doubt found shelter during the day-time.

The next evening I again proceeded to the upper end of the gorge, where the Notornis announced his arrival by his loud note. Knowing where to look for it, I approached the bank as cautiously as possible, but, just as I looked over, it scampered away as fast as it could run.

On this occasion I was fortunate enough to catch a passing view of it, although in the uncertain starlight I could only make out its general outline. It must be remembered that it was only in sight a few seconds; but the impression it left upon my mind at the time was that its colour was very dark, and its height about that of a full-grown turkey. An important fact to be noted here is that, although I got within a few feet of it, the bird made no attempt to fly, but ran away very swiftly, and without making any sound or cry of alarm. There can be little doubt that with a sharp dog I could easily have caught it ; but, unfortunately, we had no dog attached to our camp at this time.

Seven years now elapsed before the Notornis again came

under my observation. At the beginning of this year I visited Dusky Sound for the purpose of examining the mineral deposits discovered there by Mr. William Docherty, the well-known prospector. On the day after my arrival—the 5th January—I accompanied Docherty to his pyrrhotine lode on the lower slopes of Mount Hodge, situated about a mile from the beach. Shortly after commencing the steep ascent we heard the deep booming call of a bird, which I at once recognised as similar to that of the strange bird I had heard in the Matukituki Valley in 1881. After listening for awhile I expressed my belief that this was the Notornis. Docherty, however, stoutly denied this, stating that he had often heard the same sound, which was what he called in his own words “a volcanic noise in the bowels of the earth.” Without stopping to argue the point, I pressed along, hoping to see the bird, which appeared to be somewhere on our path. The ascent at this point was very steep, our track being along the right bank of a precipitous rocky stream. In a few minutes we got so close to the bird that there could be no doubt whatever as to the organic origin, so to speak, of the sound, which seemed to proceed from the crop of the bird. I now told Docherty to keep quiet for a little, and he would soon see the cause of the booming, at which he became very excited, and shouted loudly that nothing would convince him it was not “a volcanic noise.” I need hardly state that we heard nothing more of this bird that day.

On returning to the hut in the evening my field-hand informed me that when he was fishing off the point close by he had heard a takahe in the bush in the direction in which I had been during the day. On asking him what he knew of that bird he said he was one of the party of rabbiters who caught the takahe near Lake Te Anau in 1880 ; and, as he had often heard the call of that bird and its mate, which, by the way, was never captured, he was quite sure the booming note which he had heard during the day was that of a takahe. In view of the determination I had previously arrived at, I considered this evidence conclusive that this was indeed the Notornis. I may mention that this was the first occasion on which I heard the Notornis spoken of as the takahe, the only name by which it was known to my field-hand.

That same evening, and every successive evening afterwards during my stay at Dusky Sound, I heard two takahes in the bush at no great distance from the hut. In the course of my various excursions in this sound I heard the takahe at the following places, not including those already mentioned : In the left-hand branch of Docherty's Creek, not far from the open country ; at the north end of Cooper's Island; in a gully on the southern slopes of Mount Pender, apparently not far

I have been informed by a settler in the Manawatu district that the season before last a pair of them nested in the bush at the back of his property, and successfully reared their brood. He is positive as to the species. This would seem to show that they are not quite so scarce in the North Island as is usually supposed, even if they are not to be doomed indigenous.

2. Carpophaga novæ-zealandiæ (Wood-pigeon, Kuku, Kereru).

I have yet another instance of abnormal colouring of this magnificent bird to record. The specimen was shot at Kaikoura in June, 1887, and presented to the Colonial Museum by Mr. H. Inglis. The following is a description of it : Head, neck, and breast, normal colour, but of a duller shade. Hind-neck and front portion of scapulars and wing-covers rich brown, profusely interspersed with white (the body of each feather is quite white, but broadly tipped with rich chocolate-brown, which gives the colour to those parts); hind portions of scapulars, and wing-covers, white, the feathers in some places tinged and edged with slaty-grey; shafts of feathers deep-brown, almost black. Wings slaty-grey, much blotched with white, the feathers in most instances edged with coppery-green, shafts normal colour. Rump white, but bluish-grey feathers are profusely mixed. Tail-feathers white, but margined all round with bluish-black, shafts black ; below these feathers are white, but so thickly spotted with brown as to appear of that colour; the two outer shafts are nearly white. Abdomen and lower tail-cover white. Sides and lining of wings pale silvery-grey, in places almost white. Beak and feet normal colour.

3. Lobivanellus lobatus (Wattled Plover).

In a previous volume^* I recorded the occurrence of the masked plover (L. personatus), in New Zealand. The identification was made from a drawing and description supplied to me, but I have since had an opportunity of examining the specimen, which Mr. Drew, in whose possession it is, kindly brought to Wellington for my inspection.

I find that the previous identification was incorrect—that the species is really L. lobata, the wattled plover; I therefore hasten to correct the mistake. The two species are very similar, the most striking difference being the amount of black on the neck, which was not sufficiently shown in the sketch.

This species is called the “alarm-bird” by the settlers in some parts of New South Wales, on account of its habit, when disturbed, of rising in the air, flying about excitedly, and

screaming so loudly that every creature within reach of its cry is on the alert.

4. Chætura caudacuta (Spine-tailed Swift, Needle-tailed Swallow).

Mr. Drew also brought with him a very good specimen of this bird. It was shot at Manaia, Hawera County, in March, 1888, and was given to the present owner by Mr. Budge. This latest visitor is a female, as proved by dissection, the only difference between the sexes being that the male is rather larger than his mate. This species has a wide range—it is said to breed under the snow-line in the Himalayas, it was found by Von Schrenck in Amoorland, it has been captured in England, is common in Australia, and now has visited New Zealand. Large flocks visit the eastern parts of Australia and Tasmania in the summer, but only stay a short time. It is probable that our specimen was merely an exhausted straggler from one of these flocks. It agrees well with the description given by Gould: “Crown of head, back of neck, and ear-coverts, deep shining-green, strongly tinged with brown; a small space immediately before the eye, deep velvety-black; band across the forehead, throat, inner webs of the secondaries nearest the back, a patch on the lower part of the flanks, and the under tail-coverts, white; wings and tail deep shining-green, with purple reflections; centre of the back greyish-brown, becoming darker towards the rump; chest and abdomen dark clove-brown.”

Mr. Gould makes the following remarks with regard to the enormous powers of flight possessed by this bird:—

“The keel or breastbone of this species is more than ordinarily deep, and the pectoral muscles more developed than in any bird of its weight with which I am acquainted. Its whole form is especially and beautifully adapted for extended flights; hence it readily passes from one part of the world to another, and, if so disposed, may be engaged in hawking for flies on the continent of Australia at one hour, and in the next be similarly employed in Tasmania.

“So exclusively is this bird a tenant of the air that I never in any instance saw it perch, and but rarely sufficiently near the earth to admit of a successful shot; it is only late in the evening, and during lowery weather that such an object can be accomplished. With the exception of the crane, it is certainly the most lofty as well as the most vigorous flier of the Australian birds. I have frequently observed in the middle of the hottest days, while lying prostrate on the ground, with my eyes directed upwards, the cloudless blue sky peopled at an immense elevation by hundreds of these birds, performing extensive curves and sweeping flights, doubtless

In England and on the Continent—especially the latter—the mole-cricket is a terrible trouble, doing incalculable damage in the cornfields, pastures, and gardens. Germany and the south of France suffer most extensively, but the pest is gradually and surely working its way northwards, and is also common in many parts of England, especially in moist districts.

In Germany they have been known to destroy as much as one-fourth of the young corn-crop. They are also very fond of peas, beans, cabbage, and lettuce. Should they find their way into a kitchen-garden they will sometimes destroy whole beds of young plants in a single night. They burrow in the ground and eat the roots, so that the destruction is complete.

One species has of late years caused enormous damage amongst the pastures and sugar-cane plantations in the island of St. Vincent.

They live underground, are large and very powerful, and are said to be capable of propelling a 61b. weight on a smooth surface. Their fore feet are like those of a mole, and are peculiarly adapted for burrowing. During the day they remain in their burrows, along which they can move backwards or forwards with equal facility, being provided with two filaments at the end of the abdomen, which are used when a backward movement is desired.

These insects are probably familiar to some of you, and I have here specimens and drawings which may be examined, so that it is not necessary I should inflict on you a description of their personal appearance.

At the beginning of summer the female excavates, near her burrow, a cavity shaped somewhat like a lemonade-bottle, with a long neck, which is turned up and communicates with the surface and with her burrow. In this chamber she deposits some three or four hundred eggs. She then carefully seals up the entrance. In about a month or five weeks these eggs, which are about the size of small peas, hatch out, and the young at once commence to feed upon the tender roots of the surrounding plants.

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When first hatched they measure only from 1/12in. to ⅛in., and are destitute of wings, but when adult they measure nearly 2in., and have wings.

They pass the winter months in the earth, coming forth as spring advances. Their presence may be traced by the little mounds of earth like miniature molehills, and by the yellow withered patches which disfigure pastures and gardens.

I have now seen three specimens captured in New Zealand; it is therefore reasonable to suppose that they have, to some extent at least, established themselves here, and it is probable, in consequence of the rapid progress new pests

be done. I had a tank erected, 12ft. long by 30in. wide and 24in. deep, divided into three compartments with movable partitions. The front of this tank or aquarium is of glass, so that I can observe all the movements of the fish; and, although I have not a constant flow of water, there is sufficient to answer my purpose. I observed that in all the streams in this district there are large numbers of minnows (Galaxias attenuatus), which are pretty to look at, and apparently innocent and timid; but, as they take the worm freely, I thought they might just as readily take the young trout. I placed seven of them in the tank, and gave them worms nearly as long as themselves. These they ate greedily. I then gave them dead whitebait, which they ate as freely. My next experiment was with twenty-five live trout six weeks old; and within twelve hours they had all disappeared except one, which may have been hidden among the plants, and so escaped their observation. By this time I was satisfied that they were at least one cause of the mischief, but to make certain I tried once more. I placed two minnows in the tank with fifteen trout nine weeks old; and within half an hour three of the latter had disappeared. I then dissected one of the minnows, and took from it one of the trout, which had been swallowed whole. I may add that the minnows had been well fed before they were placed with the trout; and if they will devour them under these circumstances, we may well understand how readily they will attack them in the streams. There may be other reasons for our want of success in stocking the streams; but, apart from all others, this of itself is sufficient to account for it.

Experience has proved that it will not do to place the young fry in the streams and leave them to take care of themselves, and an important question would be, at what age will they be old enough and strong enough. This I cannot answer definitely. I have had the trout with the minnows when they (the trout) were seven months old, and they seemed to live in harmony. Whether they would do so at an earlier stage I cannot say.

I think if the following plan were adopted we might reasonably look for success: Let the fry be brought from the breeding-ponds, as formerly, when they are, say, four or five weeks old, before they have lost the umbilical sac, for reasons which will be apparent to any one at all acquainted with the subject. Place them in a pond through which there is a constant flow of water, and where other fish cannot get at them. Let them be kept there until they are, say, twelve months old, after which it will be quite safe to turn them into the stream. The pond could be cut out close to the stream from which the water-supply would be taken, and the overflow could go back

setosus in 1873, was not then able to consult White's description of P. zealandicus, or he would probably, he tells me, not have described his as a new species. I have, in my paper already referred to, discussed to some extent the probability of the identity of these two species, but at that time I was unable to give a decisive opinion on the matter, owing to the want of a sufficiently large collection to examine; and it was chiefly with a view of finally settling the question that I undertook the present investigation.

It is somewhat difficult to compare the descriptions of P. setosus and P. zealandicus, as they do not run exactly parallel; the differences, however, have been clearly stated by Miers,^* who was able to examine the type-specimens of P. zealandicus in the British Museum, and to compare them with a specimen of P. setosus, Hutton. In speaking of P. zealandicus he says, “This species is certainly distinct from P. setosus, Hutton. In P. zealandicus, of which the type-specimens are in the British Museum collection, the hands are clothed externally with tufts of hair, arranged in longitudinal series, and are armed with spines only on the superior margins; and the sides of the carapace are smooth. In P. setosus there are spines arranged seriately upon the external surface as well as the upper margin of the hand, and the branchial and hepatic regions of the carapace are armed with numerous unequal conical spines.”

I have specimens, from streams at Dunedin, that agree fairly well with the description of P. zealandicus as given in Miers's catalogue; and, though they differ to some extent from typical specimens of P. setosus, the characters in which they differ vary, as I shall show in detail further on, to a large extent according to size and age, even in specimens taken from the same stream, and such a complete series of transitional forms is found that it will, I think, be necessary to combine the two species under the name P. zealandicus, which has priority over P. setosus by many years: but, in accordance with the rule suggested by Professor von Martens, and adopted by Professor Hutton, and by Mr. G. M. Thomson and myself,^† the name must be written Paranephrops neo-zelanicus.

The differences between specimens of P. planifrons of different ages and localities are quite as great as those between different forms of P. neo-zelanicus; so that, if the latter species were divided, it would be necessary to divide the former also.

The only other reference to two species of Paranephrops from New Zealand besides P. planifrons that I can find is an

incidental one by Wood-Mason. Speaking of the parasite (Temnocephala)^* found on these crayfish he says, ^† “I have since received from my friend Mr. W. Guise Brittan, of Christchurch, New Zealand, an abundant supply of each of two species ^‡ of crayfish from the rivers Avon and Waimakariri respectively.” (The italics are mine.)

In consequence of this notice I was exceedingly anxious to get specimens from the Waimakariri to compare with the Avon species, to see whether they differed or not; but for a long time I was unsuccessful. However, in September, 1885, one of my pupils brought me specimens, not, indeed, from the River Waimakariri itself, but from a creek at Rangiora that empties into one of its branches. These specimens, though differing in some respects from the typical specimens of P. setosus, and therein approaching the Dunedin specimens, are not sufficiently distinct to be considered a separate species. I have therefore no doubt that Wood-Mason's specimens all belonged to the one variable species—P. neo-zelanicus.

While examining into the identity of P. setosus and P. zealandicus I have at the same time examined and compared with them specimens of P. planifrons from various localities, and find that most of the points of difference hitherto given break down when a large number of specimens is examined, and that it is exceedingly difficult to find constant characters by which to separate them. At one time I was almost tempted to combine the two species (P. planifrons and P. neo-zelanicus) into one; but, in consideration of the distinctness between extreme forms, I have thought it best to keep them as two species, though with some intermediate specimens it is sometimes hard to decide which species they should be referred to. The various differences will be given in the detailed description further on, but for the sake of greater clearness I will briefly mention some of them here. The squame of the antenna is generally larger in P. planifrons than in P. neo-zelanicus, usually reaching slightly beyond the extremities of the rostrum and of the peduncles of the antennules and antennæ; but this character fails us in some specimens from Wellington and Pelorus Valley, &c. The sides of the carapace in P. planifrons do not, as a rule, bear so many or such well-developed spines as in P. neo-zelanicus; but the general arrangement is much the same, and some specimens of P. planifrons (as, for

instance, those from Nelson) are very spiny, while many of P. neo-zelanicus have the carapace almost smooth. In P. planifrons, again, the infero-posterior corner of the pleura of the abdominal segments is usually distinctly angular, while it is more or less rounded in P. neo-zelanicus; but this character, again, varies considerably in both species. The character that I have found most useful in distinguishing the two species is in the form, &c., of the great claws. In P. planifrons these are long, and have the basal portion of the propodos (without the fixed finger, that is) usually fully twice as long as the carpus, and generally more than twice as long as broad; and, though it sometimes bears a few scattered hairs, these are never abundant and are not arranged in tufts. In P. neo-zelanicus the propodos is usually somewhat compressed, it is generally less than twice as long as the carpus, and not more than twice as long as broad, and it is always abundantly covered with hairs arranged in tufts. The relative sizes of the different joints vary to a considerable extent; but I have found the abundant hairs in all my specimens of P. neo-zelanicus, and this forms the only character that I have been able to rely upon in all cases to distinguish this species from P. planifrons.

It has generally been stated hitherto that P. planifrons is confined to the North Island and is not found in the South, but is represented there by P. neo-zelanicus. In August, 1883, however, I received from the late Mr. J. C. Gully two very fine specimens of P. planifrons from a stream—the Maitai—at Nelson. It would hence appear that Cook Strait has not proved so great, or, rather, so old a barrier to these crayfish as the mountains in Nelson forming the northern continuation of the Southern Alps. As this point seemed to be of some importance in connection with the geographical distribution of the fauna of New Zealand, and as I was ignorant of the configuration of that part of the South Island, I applied to Professor Hutton for information. With his characteristic kindness and promptness he at once told me that there was no great division (by mountains, that is) between Nelson and Greymouth, but that the first great division would be along the Kaikoura Mountains and across westerly to Mount Franklin, and then down the Spencer Mountains and the Southern Alps; though the part between the Kaikoura Mountains and Mount Franklin is much broken by rivers, some running north and some south. He also told me that several North Island plants extend to Nelson and down the west coast to Westport and Greymouth. Another fact pointing in the same direction is found in the distribution of Armadillo speciosus, a terres-trial isopod. This is known from the North Island (Bay of Islands, Dana, and Wellington, Hutton), and I have specimens

from Nelson; but I have never heard of it occurring in the southern part of the South Island.

It was therefore to be anticipated that specimens of Paranephrops found north of the dividing-line mentioned by Professor Hutton would, like those from Nelson, belong to P. planifrons rather than to P. neo-zelanicus. To test this I applied to Mr. J. Rutland and Mr. R. Helms, and these gentlemen very kindly supplied me with specimens from Pelorus River and Greymouth respectively. These specimens, though to some extent intermediate, like those from Nelson, are without the characteristic tuft of hairs found in P. neo-zelanicus, and therefore belong, as I had anticipated, to P. planifrons, the North Island species.

The crayfish seem to be very widely distributed over all the different parts of New Zealand. Of P. planifrons I have specimens from Karaka, Manukau Harbour; Puriri Creek, Thames; Lake Roto-iti; Napier; Wellington; Nelson; Pelorus River; and Greymouth: and of P. neo-zelanicus from various streams in North Canterbury, from Oamaru, and from Dunedin. I have also heard of it from Southland and various portions of the interior of Otago, and Mr. G. M. Thomson has taken it in Stewart Island and in the western tributaries of the Waiau, in the south-west part of Otago.

A freshwater crayfish belonging to the same genus as those of New Zealand—Paranephrops—is said to be found in Fiji, and is mentioned by Professor Huxley in “The Crayfish,” p. 313, and also in his paper in the “Proceedings of the Zoological Society,” 1878, p. 770. In “The Crayfish,” p. 313, he states that “considering their wide separation by sea, the amount of resemblance between the New Zealand and the Fiji specimens is very remarkable.” As this fact is of some importance in connection with the question of the origin of the New Zealand fauna, I have in several ways endeavoured to get specimens from Fiji for comparison with those of New Zealand, but as yet I have been unable to hear of any one in Fiji who would collect them for me. It appears that the statement that Paranephrops is found in Fiji rests on two specimens in the British Museum, and I notice that Professor W. Faxon suggests that the locality-labels are perhaps erroneous.^*

Before proceeding to give detailed descriptions of P. planifrons and P. neo-zelanicus, I desire to take this opportunity of thanking those friends who have kindly provided me with material—viz., Mr. T. F. Cheeseman, Auckland; Mr. A. Hamilton, Napier; Mr. T. W. Kirk, Wellington; the late Mr. J. C. Gully, Nelson; Mr. J. P. Grossman, Christ-

The peduncles of the antennæ and antennules both reach about to the end of the rostrum; that of the antenna bears several spines on the under surface of the different joints. The squame of the antenna is large, and reaches rather beyond the end of the rostrum; it is triangular, narrowing anteriorly, and at the end narrowing abruptly to a sharp point; the inner edge is fringed with long setæ, and there is a deep longitudinal groove above. The anterior part of the epistoma, between the bases of the antennules, is broad, triangular, and flat, ending anteriorly in a sharp spine. The great claws are large and long, being about six-sevenths the length of the body. The propodos is not compressed, and its length (excluding the fixed finger) is about twice as great as that of the carpus, and about three times its own width; it widens slightly towards the distal

end. The whole limb is densely spined: the basos has one spine on the inner margin; the ischios has a few on the inner margin, and one or two indistinctly marked on the outer margin; the meros has two irregular rows on the inner margin, and one row on the outer margin, and one spine on each side of the hinge; the carpus is spined all round, with a slight groove above, between two longitudinal rows; the propodos is densely spined in longitudinal rows, the largest spines being on the upper surface and the inner margin, and in one row of about six on the lower surface; there are two very regular rows on the outer margin, extending right to the end of the fixed finger. Both fingers are very spinous, inner margins with rounded teeth and a few hairs, the fingers ending in incurving spines. The pleura of the abdominal segments have the infero-posterior corner distinctly angled, the anterior edge being longer and more convex than the posterior, which, though slightly sinuous, scarcely curves forward; the anterior edge alone fringed with setæ.

The specimen I have described is the largest of P. planifrons that I have seen. I have two others from Nelson, 4·8in. long, and others from Lake Roto-iti, 4·15in. and 4in. long. On the other hand we may have mature specimens very much smaller: thus I have a female bearing eggs, from the Thames, only 2·4in. long, and another, from Wellington, 2·5in. From the measurements given in the table below it will be seen that the proportion of the greatest breadth of the carapace to the length varies to some extent, but is almost always less than one-fourth the length. When seen in dorsal view the sides of the branchiostegites are nearly parallel, so that the carapace is about the same width throughout the whole length of the branchiostegites. The sides, however, sometimes bulge slightly in the centre, but not to so great an extent as the Avon and Heathcote specimens of P. neo-zelanicus. (See Plate X., fig. 1, and compare it with fig. 1a.) The number of teeth on the rostrum varies very greatly, and very often differs on the two sides; the median teeth below are sometimes entirely absent, as in the Pelorus River specimens, where they are present in one specimen only. The spines, too, vary in distinctness, being very sharp and distinct in the Nelson and Greymouth specimens, but blunt and more or less rounded at the end in those from Lake Roto-iti. The rostrum is frequently depressed, as in the Napier specimen, but, again, is often quite horizontal, or only very slightly depressed. The median ridge on the carapace, behind the rostrum, varies much in length and distinctness, but usually does not extend so far back as in P. neo-zelanicus. With regard to the spines on the carapace, it must be remembered that the groups into which I have divided them, though useful

for easy reference, are purely arbitrary, and may not always be clearly distinguished. The spines often vary both in number and position on the two sides of the same specimen. In some specimens the spines are almost entirely absent, so that the whole of the carapace is nearly smooth; but usually some of the groups are represented, if not by spines, by small tubercles corresponding in position to the spines in other specimens. I have tabulated the number of spines of each group found in various specimens, and, though I need not give the tables, I can summarise some of the results here. Group A contains only two spines, and is invariably present; group B is frequently altogether absent, but may contain several spines, as in the Nelson specimens, extending into group D and group K, mentioned below; group C is usually represented, but often only by very small spines; group D is often absent in small specimens, but may contain as many as six spines, extending right back to the cervical groove; group E is seldom entirely absent, and never contains more than two spines; group F is often absent, and the spines in it are never large; group G is one of the most constant, and contains some of the largest spines, it is seldom entirely absent; group H, again, is also usually represented, though the number of spines varies very much, and they are sometimes very small and close together, so as to form only a row of more or less spinous tubercles; group J, including the spines and tubercles on the branchiostegites, is very variable—sometimes the spines are entirely absent, so that this part of the carapace is quite smooth, at other times the spines are represented by slight roughness only, but, again, as in the Nelson specimen, the whole of the branchiostegite may be thickly covered with well-developed spines. In the specimen from Nelson, two other groups, present in many specimens of P. neo-zelanicus, but not represented in other specimens of P. planifrons, are noticeable: they are, group K, containing 4–5 spines in front of the cervical groove and behind group B; and group L, containing two or three small spines on the cardiac portion of the carapace, usually by the sides of the branchio-cardiac grooves. (See Plate X. fig. 2a.) In this Nelson specimen the number of spines in each group is much greater than usual, and they run into one another so much that, as in some specimens of P. neo-zelanicus, it is difficult to distinguish them into the different groups. In the Lake Roto-iti specimens the spines are usually more or less blunt, and often degenerate into tubercles.

The squame of the antenna sometimes reaches only as far as the extremity of the rostrum, instead of beyond it as in the Napier specimen. The inner edge is generally straight in the centre, or even slightly concave; but sometimes more convex, as it usually is in P. neo-zelanicus. Towards the end it often

groups as in P. planifrons: Group A, two, as usual; B, three or four, irregularly placed; C, five, but not arranged so regularly on the margin of the carapace as in P. planifrons; D, six, extending right back to the cervical groove, and running anteriorly into C; E, one, situated on slight prominence; F, two; G, four or five, very strong, extending into H; H, a row of about seven, extending along the under margin of the groove; J, the whole branchiostegite covered with well-developed spines, all sharp and distinct except those on the lower portions, which are rubbed by the legs and are rounded at the end—the spines extend much further up than is usual in P. planifrons, reaching almost to the branchio - cardiac grooves; K, a group of about eight well-marked spines; L, two or three small spines along the branchio-cardiac groove on each side. The squame of the antenna scarcely reaches beyond the extremity of the rostrum, and has its inner margin more convex than is usually the case in P. planifrons. The anterior portion of the epistoma is quite narrow, and ends anteriorly in a sharp spine. The great claws are much shorter and stouter than in extreme forms of P. planifrons, and have the propodos and the fingers thiekly covered with dense tufts of hairs, chiefly arranged in longitudinal rows. The ischios and meros are somewhat laterally compressed, so that it will be convenient in describing the spines on them to speak of the upper and under edges and the outer and inner sides; the carpus and propodos are more or less vertically compressed, so that we can distinguish here the outer and inner edges and the upper and under sides. The spines on the great claws are then arranged as follows:—

Ischios—Upper edge, two blunt spines.

Under edge, two sharp spines.

Meros—Upper edge, one row dividing into two at the end, where there are also a few spines irregularly placed.

Under edge, two diverging rows, containing four to six spines each; one large spine at distal end between the two rows, and others placed irregularly.

The outer and inner sides of these joints without spines.

Carpus—Spined all round, the largest on the outer and inner edges; on the upper side the central portion is flat and free from spines.

Propodos—Inner edge, a row of four strong spines.

Outer edge, two rows, containing about twelve spines each, extending right along to the end of the fixed finger.

Paranephrops zealandicus.

Miers, “Zool. ‘Erebus’ and ‘Terror,’” Crust., p. 4, pl. ii., fig. 2 (1874); “Cat. N.Z. Crust.,” p. 73 (1876); “Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist.” (ser. 4), xv., p. 412 (1876); “Trans. N.Z. Inst.,” ix., p. 475 (1877).

Chilton, “Trans. N.Z. Inst.,” xv., p. 151 (1883).

Astacoides zealandicus.

Wood-Mason, “Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist.” (ser. 4), xv., p. 336 (1876).

Paranephrops setosus.

Hutton, “Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist.” (ser. 4), xii., p. 402 (1873).

Miers, “Cat. N.Z. Crust.,” p. 72 (1876); “Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist.” (ser. 4), xv., p. 412 (1876); “Trans. N.Z. Inst.,” ix., p. 475 (1877).

Chilton, “Trans. N.Z. Inst.,” xv., p. 150 (1883).

Basal scale of antennæ like that of P. planifrons, but not narrowing so abruptly, and extending only to the end of the rostrum. Carapace nearly cylindrical, greatest breadth generally a little less than one-fourth the length, of the same width throughout whole length of the branchiostegite, or bulging in centre; carapace nearly smooth, or with spines along the cervical groove and on the branchiostegite and elsewhere, spines usually more numerous than in P. planifrons; two spines on each side of the base of the rostrum. Rostrum elongate, triangular, sometimes depressed, margins raised and usually with four teeth on each side, under surface keeled and usually with two teeth. Median ridge behind rostrum arising on level with the first of the two spines at the base of the rostrum and extending backwards three-fourths of the distance to the cervical groove. Anterior portion of epistoma flat and triangular, or narrow, ending anteriorly in a sharp spine. Great claws stout, propodos usually compressed, one and a half times as long as the carpus and nearly twice as long as broad, both sides covered with small tufts of hair and with stout spines arranged chiefly in longitudinal rows. Pleura of abdominal segments usually rounded below, anterior edge longer than the posterior, which curves forward, both edges fringed with setæ.

Length of largest specimen, 6·3in.

Habitat. South Island generally, excepting north-western portion; Stewart Island.

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different families of the class Insecta, the Hymenoptera, and the Diptera, seem to have made common cause against the plant, and live in close alliance at its expense. A good deal of the straggling nature and ungraceful appearance of the shrub is due to their attacks, and doubtless if one could insure freedom from them the Olearia, might be made much more ornamental than it is. Of these two insects, one, the hymenopter, preys apparently only on the buds and young shoots; the other infests both buds and leaves.

The “galls” produced on the plant are of two kinds. The one affecting the young shoots and buds has the appearance of large excrescences formed round the axils of the twigs, as if in those spots an abnormally large number of shoots had begun to grow out, and, having their growth suddenly arrested, had coalesced in an irregular mass, their stunted leaves crushed up and crowded together. Examples of these are shown in Plate XI., fig. 1, and Plate XII., fig. 1. It will be observed that there is a slight difference between these two, the leaflets in one being much smaller and more crowded than in the other. My experience has been that in the larger one (Plate XII.) only the dipterous insect lives; in the smaller one (Plate XI.) mostly the hymenopterous, but frequently, together with it, the dipteron also. A section of either of these galls will show (as in Plate XI., fig.2) a colony of insects, in the pupa or in the larva stages, living in cells within it. The differences between the two insects may be easily seen by the larger size of the dipteron and therefore of its cell, independently of the differences of colour given below.

The other kind of gall is exclusively the work of the dipteron, and takes the form of blisters on the leaves, as shown in Plate XII., fig. 1, and in section, fig. 1a. When the perfect insect is ready to emerge it breaks a hole through the leaf, and the pupa thrusts itself out for about half its length before the fly emerges, as shown in the figure.

Of these two galls the last, on the leaves, would not probably be hurtful; the other, which arrests and deforms the growth of the young shoots, must exercise a baneful effect upon the vigour of the plant.

The two insects appear to go through their transformations and perform their work at the same periods of the year. The eggs are laid about October, and the larvæ emerge from them in a week or ten days. The larvæ seem to change to pupæ at different intervals—sometimes in early summer, sometimes not until the following spring. The perfect flies emerge about October, and probably, on any particular shrub, all about the same time. Procreation takes place immediately. I have seen a male and a female emerge from a gall almost at the same moment, and five minutes afterwards copulate.

upwards (fig. 7); at rest, these are folded together (fig. 8); when opened (fig. 8a) two are long, cornute with sharp ends, and four others, shorter and tubercular, enclose a short cylindrical ovipositor. Abdomen of male ending (fig. 9) in two lobes; when exserted (fig. 9a) the penis is thick, cylindrical, somewhat dilated at the tip.

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Length of the body about 1/9in.; length of legs about ⅕in.

In the venation of the wings this insect belongs to the true genus Cecidomyia, as defined by Osten-Sacken. In the genus Diplosis, which is near it, the second longitudinal vein curves downwards and reaches the margin of the wing below the tip. As regards specific distinctions, I have not sufficient material for complete comparison: possibly the presence of the curious and very loosely-attached black scales on the body may be a differentiating character.