64 Transactions. — Zoology. 



Plate XIII. 



Pig. 1. Frenchia casuarince, insects in tubes on twig : the bark is cut 



away at a to show scar when tube is re- 

 moved ; natural size. 

 „ tube, showing closed extremity. 



„ tube, with both ends open. 



„ base of tube with convex extremity of en- 



closed insect. 

 „ tube cut open, empt}'. 



„ diagram of female and indusium in tube. 



adult female, side view. 

 „ abdominal extremity of female. 



„ extreme tip of abdomen with anal orifice. 



female of second stage (diagram). 

 „ antenna of female, second stage. 



spinnerets of female, second stage. 

 „ rostrum and mentum of female, second 



stage, 

 larva, dorsal view, 

 larva (diagram). 

 „ antenna of larva. 



„ foot of larva. 



Art. II. — Notes and Observations on Neio Zealand Birds. 



By Sir Walter L. Buller, K.C.M.G., F.E.S. 



lEead before the Wellington Pliilosopliical Society, 9th September, 1891.] 



Plate XIV. 



Platycercus unicolor. (The Antipodes Island Parrakeet.) 



I have mentioned in " The Birds of New Zealand " (vol. i., 

 pj). 148, 149) the interesting circumstance of the redis- 

 covery of this lost species on Antipodes Island by Captain 

 Fairchild, half a century after the type specimen had been 

 placed on the shelves of the British Museum. On the last 

 visit of the " Hinemoa " to the same island, the crew obtained 

 a number of them, which were brought to New Zealand alive. 

 They bear confinement well, and soon become tame and 

 tractable. The male bird has a conspicuously larger bill than 

 the female. The iiides are cherry-brown in colour, and the 

 feet are dull-grey. 



On Antipodes Island these birds were found frequenting 

 the grass tussocks, and were easily run down and caught by 

 the hand or bv means of a neck-snare. 



Sir James Hector records his belief (I.e., p. 149) that this 

 Parrakeet resembles a Kakapo, being " a ground Parrakeet, 

 which flies feebly, does not care to perch, climbs with its 

 beak and feet, and walks in the same waddle-and-intoed 



