( 385 ) 



as well as greater width. lu most specimens of A. oiveni oweni they are not only 

 narrower, bnt more or less irregularly V-shaped. Total length about 480 mm. 



? ad. Larger than the male and generally darker. Total length about 

 54U mm. 



Measurements of A. oweni occidentalis : — 



I have examined altogether 11) specimens in my collection, of which two are 

 from the North Island, the rest from the mountains of the north-west portion of the 

 South Island. 



The specimen of ^4. oweni occidentalis I received alive from the North Island 

 was the canse for my erroneous statements with regard to the occurrence of Apten/x 

 hiiasti in the North Island, as it was sent to me as a young specimen of Apteryx 

 haasti by Sir Walter Buller. As a fact, Apteri/x haasti has never been obtained 

 on the North Island. 



It is by no means easy to define the exact range of my A. oweni occidentalis. 

 The North Island specimen was obtained by Mr. Morgan (Jarkeek at the head of 

 the Hutt river on Mount Hector, in the Tararua Range, in December 1875. It was 

 caught by his dog among the snow-grass, at an elevation of about 3,000 feet. At 

 a higher altitude he found the species comjiaratively abundant, and he met with it 

 occasionally below the snow-line, frequenting mossy places in the bush free from 

 undergrowth. (Buller, B. N. Zeal. 2ud ed. v. 2, p. 328.) 



In addition to the North-Island bird I have a fine series of specimens from the 

 Upper Buller district, where, according to Mr. Brough, of Nelson, " they inhabit the 

 dense bush, and seem to prefer dark and gloomy gullies, where the sun scarcely ever 

 penetrates, and where the under-scrub is almost always dripping wet." Some speci- 

 mens which I have are labelled " Nelson," by Sir Walter Buller, but as they bear 

 Mr. Brough's name, I have no doubt that they also come from the " Upper Buller." 

 Others I bonght from Sir Walter Buller are labelled " Buller district, W. Coast," 

 and one " Heaphy River." Some skins, however, which are labelled " Collingwood," 

 I consider to be typical A. oweni, not occidentalis. Therefore, if the localities on 

 our labels are correct, the distribution of my occidentalis is not easy to understand, 

 but I believe it is a fairly distinct form, j)erhaps representing the typical A. oweni 

 on the high mountains of the Buller district, where it may occur together with 

 A. haasti. 



