78 Transactions. — Zoology. 



specimens for local and foreign museums, but I was assured 

 by him that he did not destroy them all ; and I do not think 

 any collector has visited the island since his time. There is 

 therefore just a chance of saving the species by timely inter- 

 vention. 



Acanthidositta chloris, Sparrm. (The Eiflemau.) 



It seems pretty clear that the male of this sj)ecies assists 

 in the work of incubation, for a specimen which I shot in the 

 Ngarara Eanges on the 13th October had the under-parts 

 completely denuded of feathers. It was evidently the end of 

 the breeding-season, because, on dissection, I found the testes 

 extremely minute. As I have already explained (" Birds of 

 New Zealand," vol. i., p. 115), this singular little bird is in 

 reality a dwarf Pitta of a degenerate t3'pe. It would be in- 

 teresting to know whether other members of this family (to 

 which I have given the name Xenicidce) have the same habit, 

 or whether the males of any of the true Pittas are known to 

 incubate. 



Eudynamis taitensis, Sparrm. (The Long-tailed Cuckoo.) 



The next bird I have to exhibit is a specimen of our large 

 migratory Cuckoo, from the Kermadec Islands, presented to me 

 by Captain Fairchild. It differs from ordinary New Zealand 

 examples in its richer colouring, the throat and sides of the 

 neck having a strong wash of chestnut-brown, and the wing- 

 coverts being largely tipped with white instead of yellowish- 

 brown, presenting a spotted appearance, this character extend- 

 ing also, but in a less degree, to the scapulars, uropygium, 

 and upper tail-coverts. 



Platycercus unieolor, Vigors. (The Antipodes Island Paria- 

 keet.) 



I am now able to give the full measurements of the two 

 sexes, taken from specimens in the flesh. 



Male. — Length, 14in. ; extent of wings, 19in. ; wing from 

 flexure. Gin. ; tail, 6'50in. ; bill, along the ridge l"lin., along 

 the edge of lower mandible 0-65in. ; tarsus, lin. ; longer fore- 

 toe and claw, l*5in. ; longer hind-toe and claw, l-3in. 



Female. — Length, 12-75in. ; extent of wings, IT'oin. ; wing 

 from flexure, 5'75in. ; tail. Bin. ; bill, along the ridge 0-9in., 

 along the edge of lower mandible 0-55in. ; tarsus, 0-8in. ; longer 

 fore-toe and claw, l'25in. ; longer hind-toe and claw, l'2in. 



Platycercus novas-zealandiee, Sparrm. (The Eed- topped 



Parrakeet.) 



A specimen which I have lately received from Auckland 

 has the back, rump, and upper surface of wings irregularl}- 



