BuLLER. — On Neio Zealand Birds. 11 



Young. — A young bird, just from the nest, has the plumage 

 of the upper surface strongly suffused with fulvous, the quills 

 and their coverts, as well as the tail-feathers, broadly mar- 

 gined with fulvous, and the face, throat, and under-parts en- 

 tirely of that colour. The outer tail-feathers, which are white 

 in the adult, are of a uniform pale-fulvous. This colour is 

 brightest on the foreneck and breast, where the feathers are 

 obscurely centred with brown. 



I have received a specimen from the Antipodes Island, 

 which does not differ from the Auckland Island bird, except 

 that it is somewhat darker and yellower, being evidently a 

 younger bird. 



Anthus novae - zealandiae, Gmelin. (The New Zealand 

 Pipit.) 



The next specimen I have to exhibit is an albino of the 

 common species. The general plumage is creamy white, more 

 or less stained on the upper surface, especially on the back, 

 with pale yellowish-brown. 



SphencEacus fulvus, Gray. (The Fulvous Fern-bird.) 



I have received two more specimens (in the flesh) from the 

 Snares. This species is evidently a ground feeder, for on 

 skinning them I was struck with the great development of the 

 tibial and femoral muscles. 



Rhipidura fuliginosa, Sparrm. (The Black Fantail.) 



I have received a specimen (in spirits) from the Snares. 



It is interesting to note that this Southern species is be- 

 coming an inhabitant of the North Island. I have previously 

 recorded the known instances of its occurrence in the Welling- 

 ton District. This year one has almost constantly frequented 

 my garden on the Terrace. 



In a large collection of birds from the Chatham Islands 

 lately received in England there were many specimens of 

 Pu. flahellifera, but none of this species. 



Pogonornis cincta, Dubus. (The Stitch-bird.) 



A female of this very rare species which recently came 

 into my hands has a yellow tinge on the angle of the wings 

 and on the tips of the white secondary coverts. The specimen, 

 which had been in a private collection at Auckland for some 

 ten years, came originally from the Little Barrier Island. 

 This is undoubtedly the last refuge of the species, and, if a 

 renmant is to be preserved, the island ought to be strictly pro- 

 tected. The indefatigable collector, Mr. A. Eeischek, spent a 

 considerable time on the Little Barrier, and shot a number of 



