76 Transactions. — Zoology. 



in the Mangawhero Valley they were to be found, and one of 

 these localities \Yas not more than two miles from Mason's 

 house, but the other was far inland. In the Porewa, north of 

 Hunterville, they were to be found at that time, and I be- 

 lieve some still remain. They were formerly so plentiful in 

 the Turakina and Mangamahu Valleys that I think it is likely 

 a few might still be found there." 



Myiomoira toitoi, Garnot. (The North Island Tomtit.) 



An albino specimen of this bird from Otaki, for which I 

 am indebted to Mr. Capper, has the plumage of the body 

 almost entirely ^Yhite, with a few clouded specks on the breast 

 and sides. The wing-feathers, both primaries and secondaries, 

 are irregularly pied ; the lateral tail-feathers are marked as in 

 the ordinary bird ; the middle feathers are perfectly white. 

 Bill, legs, and feet normal. 



Clitonyx albicapilla, Lesson. (The Whitehead.) 



Last week, accompanied by my son, I made an expedition 

 into the wooded ranges at the back of Waikanae in quest of 

 Huias. We were disappointed in the object of our search, but 

 after tramping on foot over some ten miles of bush-paths we 

 were rewarded by finding a pair of Popokatea, or Whitehead, 

 positively the only ones I have even heard of on the mainland 

 for the last ten years or more. I brought down both with a 

 small charge of dust-shot, and have much pleasure in exhibit- 

 ing them. I can remember when this bird was absolutely the 

 commonest and most numerous in the North Island. It is 

 now one of the rarest, being met with onl}- on the Little 

 Barrier Island, in the north, and on Kapiti, in Cook Strait. 

 Another bird equally common was the Wood-robin (Miro 

 alhifrons) , and this has disappeared just as completely, my 

 last specimen having been shot at Kaitoke in the spring of 

 1880. 



Anthus aucklandicus, G. E. Gray. (The x\uckland Island 

 Pipit.) 



Although hitherto rejected by me, I feel constrained at 

 last to admit the Auckland Island Ground Pipit to the rank 

 of a separate species. I have now the opportunity of ex- 

 hibiting a series of specimens representing the adult male and 

 female and the young. On comparing these birds with speci- 

 mens of Anthus nova-zealandice the difference is at once ap- 

 parent. In the Auckland Island bird the white superciliary 

 streak is wanting ; the feathers of the upper surface are not 

 margined as in AntJms novcB-zcalandice, and the under-parts, 

 instead of being white, are of a fulvous cream-colour, slightly 

 mottled on the sides of the breast with brown. 



