66 Zoological Society, 



band composed of four black transverse vittse bordered with silvery 

 white, extending from the costa to the abdominal fold ; the inner 

 vitta transverse only at its origin, extending down the abdominal to 

 unite with a similar fold which traverses the cell and descends ob- 

 liquely between the first median nervule and the submedian nervure. 

 The inner margin of the silvery band is marked with a series of black 

 spots and vittae, and the abdominal fold is beautifully marked with 

 alternate silvery, bright fulvous and black vittae. Near the outer 

 margin is a broad silvery white band sprinkled with grey and ful- 

 vous scales, and clouded with these colours, bordered externally with 

 black. On the outer margin itself is a narrow black border, mar- 

 gined internally with white. Cilia, except on the tail, white. 



Head fulvous. Thorax fulvous above, streaked below with fulvous 

 and white. Legs white. 



In the collection of the Zoological Society. 



This beautiful insect is closely allied to Ch. Castor, but may at once 

 be known by the silvery markings below. 



5. Description of Strigops habroptilus. By G. R. Gray, Esq., 



F.L.S. &c. 



With reference to the interesting particulars about Strigops habro- 

 ptilus, communicated by Mr. Gould {supra p. 55), I am induced to 

 remark that this singular bird was first noticed under the native name 

 of Kakapo in the Appendix to Dr. Dieffenbach's Travels in New 

 Zealand, where it was suggested to belong to the family of Cuculidee, 

 from the supposed similarity of the few feathers brought by that 

 gentleman to those of the genus Centropus. This idea was at once 

 dispelled by the arrival of the perfect specimen now in the British 

 Museum, from which a figure was made by my friend Mr. Mitchell, 

 and published as pi. 105 in the ' Genera of Birds.' The singular ap- 

 pearance of the feathers of the head, and especially their arrange- 

 ment about the bill, gives it much of the expression of the family 

 Strigida. It was this resemblance that induced me to give it the 

 above generic name. Dr. Dieffenbach states that its native name 

 implies that its habits are nocturnal : the natives catch the bird by 

 torchlight. He further informs us that it chiefly inhabits the South 

 island of New Zealand, but is very rare even in that locality, which 

 is in some degree the result of the destruction it meets with from the 

 attack of cats and dogs, to which its habit of frequenting the lower 

 branches only of trees the more readily exposes it. 



As I have never published a specific character, I subjoin the fol- 

 lowing : — 



Strigops habroptilus, G. R. Gray. Str. olivaceo-viridis viridi- 

 griseo tinctus , plumis singulis strigd mediand flavd nigro-marginatd 

 extus irregulariter transverse nigro-fasciatis, tectricum majorum 

 remigum secundariorumque pogoniis exterioribus cauddque totd 

 pallide umbrinis transversa luteo-fasciatis fasciis irregulariter 

 nigro-marginatis ; subtiis pallidior luteo tinctus plumis singulis 

 strigd mediand luted piceo-marginatd extus irregulariter transverse 



