64 Transactions. — Zoology. 



New Zealand " will now have been recorded in the pages of 

 our Transactions. It is only by a systematic record of this 

 kind that we can ever hope to obtain a complete " history." I 

 earnestly hope, therefore, that the numerous workers in local 

 science whom I am leaving behind will feel it incumbent on 

 them to register their observations from time to time, always 

 bearing in mind that an ounce of well-ascertained fact is, as a 

 rule, worth more than a bushel of theory. We have yet much 

 to learn, especially in a new country like this, of the life- 

 economy and habits of every species ; and it seems to me that 

 our Society fulfils its most important function when it places 

 on permanent record, for the student of the future, the 

 gatherings of the local naturalists, however unimportant they 

 may at the time appear. An observation, trivial in itself, may 

 hereafter, in association with other observed facts, possess a 

 special value in the elucidation of scientific truth. 



Glaucopis wilsoni, Bonap. (The Blue-wattled Crow.) 



This bird is becoming very rare where formerly it abounded. 

 During a recent expedition into the Tararua Banges, extend- 

 ing over three days, I met with only one, a fine adult male, 

 which I had no difficulty in shooting, as the bird is not shy. 

 It made a beautiful cabinet specimen, although soon after 

 death the rich mazarine-blue faded out of the wattles, and 

 they became black as the skin dried. My son, Mr. Leo 

 Buller, has the following note in an old diary : " While out 

 pig-hunting on the ranges near Whangarei, on January 15, 

 I found a Kokako's nest, which contained two young birds. 

 These made their escape from the nest, but the dog caught 

 them, killing one in the operation. I endeavoured to keep 

 the other alive in a cage, but it moped and died." 



Glaucopis cinerea, Gmelin. (The Orange-wattled Crow.) 



Dr. Cahill kindly presented me with a live bird which he 

 had received from Westport, and I had it in my possession 

 many months. Finally it died in a fit, due, I think, to over- 

 feeding without the stimulus of freer exercise. It was an 

 adult male and in perfect plumage, with bright-orange wattles, 

 dark-blue at the base. Its habitual note, emitted frequently, but 

 chiefly in the early morning and forenoon, was a long, plaintive 

 double-note, pitched in a minor key, very pleasant to hear, 

 but to my mind possessing less richness than the organ-note 

 of the North Island bird (G. wilsoni). It was accustomed to 

 use its feet on eating leaves or berries presented to it, just as 

 a Parrot would. On offering this bird a large blue-bottle fly 

 he held it to his perch in the manner described, and delibe- 

 rately tore off one wing, then the other, tasted its flavour, and 

 immediately dropped it. As a rule he would not touch in- 



