Buller. — Notes on Neto Zealand Birds. 59 



formerly so plentiful, has entirely disappeared from the North 

 Island. But it is still very plentiful all over the South Island, 

 and is a common denizen of the gardens and shrubberies in all 

 the principal towns. This is the bird that so enchanted 

 Captain Cook by its song when his ship lay at anchor in 

 Queen Charlotte Sound more than a hundred years ago, and, 

 having become historical, it would be a grievous pity for the 

 bird to die out altogether. The general testimony goes to 

 show that the protection extended to the Tuis had the desired 

 effect, this species being now more numerous everywhere than 

 ib was fifteen years ago. Would it not be well to extend the 

 same protection to its small congener the Makomako, whose 

 haunts and habits are almost precisely similar? " 



Xenicus longipes, Gmelin. (The Bush Wren.) 



Of this bird I have obtained only four specimens since my 

 return from Europe, although I have made constant inquiries 

 for it. Mr. Brough writes me from Nelson, " I have now 

 been out in the bush for six months, and have seen only one 

 Bush Wren, two Bine Wrens, two Saddlebacks, and no Bock 

 Wrens. These birds are almost extinct in the Nelson and 

 Pelorus forests, where they were so plentiful eight years ago. 

 Weasels, ferrets, stoats, rats, and wild cats abound in our 

 woods. Cats are the greatest enemy to the Wren family. 

 The animals I have mentioned are making terrible devastation 

 amongst our native birds. Wingless birds, and pigeons too, 

 will soon be a rarity here." 



Platycercus novse-zealandise, Sparrm. (The Bed-fronted 

 Parrakeet.) 



To the many recorded varieties of this well-known species 

 I have now to add another in the remarkable specimen (from 

 Nelson) which I have the pleasure of exhibiting. The plumage 

 of the upper surface is intermixed with bright canary-yellow, 

 this colour predominating on the wing-coverts, back, rump, 

 and upper tail-coverts. The outer tail-coverts are varied with 

 yellow, and there are scattered feathers of the same colour on 

 the cheeks, throat, and fore-neck. 



Another, which I had lately an opportunity of examining, 

 differs from ordinary specimens in having the first bastard 

 quill in the right wing yellowish-white, with a blue-black tip, 

 and the corresponding feather in the left wing entirely 

 yellowish- white ; it likewise has the innermost secondary 

 lemon-yellow, with touches of the same colour among the wing- 

 coverts, and on the back and rump ; whilst the primaries on 

 the left wing are yellowish-white at their tips. 



