230 Transactions. — Zoology. 



from the beach ; and on the south side of the sound, about op- 

 posite the upper end of Cooper's Island. 



It will be remembered that the first specimen of Notornis, 

 secured by Mr. Mantell, was captured at Duck Cove, Eesolu- 

 tion Island, a distance of some seven miles from Cooper's 

 Island ; and the second at Secretary Island, in Thompson 

 Sound, about thirty miles further up the coast. After a lapse 

 of over thirty years a third specimen was captured in 1880, 

 near Lake Te Anau ; and the following year it was heard in 

 the Upper Matukituki Valley, behind Mount Aspiring, by my- 

 self and others of an exploring i^arty ; and now, again, in the 

 beginning of the present year, at Dusky Sound, by myself and 

 others. When passing through Wellington some four months 

 ago Docherty informed the Hon. Mr. Mantell that he had 

 recently seen a Notornis at Dusky Sound. He said he came 

 upon it in the bush close to the beach, and that it flew some 

 distance on to the water, and then made back to the shore. 



I think I have said enough to show that the Notornis still 

 exists in the lonely sounds and mountain-recesses of Western 

 Otago, in places far removed from the ordinary haunts of men. 

 That it is gradually becoming extinct is no doubt quite true, 

 but, whatever the cause, it can hardly be said to be on account 

 of the inroads of man. Its extinction is, possibly, partly due 

 to scarcity of food, and partly to a process of natural decay 

 which is no doubt in a measure induced by the effects of the 

 first. 



So recluse and retiring in its habits, it is probable that few 

 if any further additions wall be made to the three specimens of 

 this bird already secured, unless special efforts be made in this 

 direction ; and, though this may entail a considerable expendi- 

 ture of time and energy, the object is one deserving the sup- 

 port of every true naturalist. 



Art. XXV. — Notes on sonic Nctv Zealand Birds. 



By T. W. Kirk, F.E.M.S. 



[Bead before the Wellington PJdlosopMcal Society, 13th February, 1889.] 



1. Rhipiduea fuliginosa (Black Fantail, Tiwakawaka). 



This bird is generally believed to be confined to the South 

 Island. There are, however, several well-authenticated records 

 of its capture in the North. A specimen was quite recently 

 shot at Levin, a new township on the Wellington and Mana- 

 watu Eailway Company's land, and presented to the Colonial 

 Museum by Mr. Charles Gillespie. 



