NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 127 



He tells us, also, that " This handsome little crake is found in 

 both islands ; but it is everywhere extremely rare and difficult to 

 obtain. It frequents the sedgy banks of creeks and rivers, and 



the reed- covered lagoons near the coast Very little 



is at present known of its breeding habits." 



This specimen was shot by Mr J. E. Cook, in Canterbury 

 province. New Zealand. Mr Cook stated that it was the only 

 one he had shot during a residence in New Zealand of twelve 

 years. As this bird is so rare, Mr Harvie-Brown said that he 

 thought it well to give a description of this specimen, which is 

 appended. 



Oriijgometza affinis, Grey. ''Voyage of the Erebus and Terror," 

 14. Buller, 'page 183. 



Measurements — Bill at front, yj inch ; middle toe and claw, 

 If inches; wing, from carpal joint, 3^%^ inches; length GJ inches. 

 Buller gives as total length, 7 '5 inches. The difference may result 

 from the specimen described by him having been measured in the 

 flesh. 



Description — Bill bluish-black, faded apparently from dark 

 green or olive. Crown, and neck above, dark yellowish-brown, 

 with blackish centres to the feathers. Back, scapulars and wing 

 coverts, yellowish-brown, tinged with faint olive, many feathers 

 being laterally marked with blackish, and some having one or two 

 irregular white spots on the outer webs. Cheeks, and breast 

 down the centre and under parts, bluish-grey. Throat greyish- 

 white. The yellowish-brown of the upper parts extends down 

 the sides of the breast and flanks. Sides of the abdomen blackish- 

 brown, broadly but irregularly barred with white, as are also the 

 under tail coverts. Tail feathers same as longer bastard wing 

 feathers, but without the white spots. Primaries smoky brown. 



Mr James Lumsden, F.Z.S., exhibited a specimen of a hybrid 

 between the Black Grouse, Tetrao tetrix, and the Capercailie, 

 Tetrao urogalliis, and on the table had placed examples in 

 illustration of these two species. He said that at the November 

 meeting of the Society in 1872, he had the pleasure of exhibiting 

 a very fine female of this kind. The one he now showed was a 

 male, and he had little to add to the remarks which were made on 

 the occasion referred to. These hybrids have been long known in 

 Sweden, but some years ago Russian and German naturalists, 

 thinking they had made a discovery, elevated the bird into a 



