Hamilton. — On the Brown Gannet, dc. 133 



Nuttall says, "The boobies have a domestic enemy more 

 steady though less sanguine in his persecutions than man : this 

 is the frigate pehcan, who, with a keen eye descrying his 

 humble vassal at a distance, pursues him without intermission, 

 and obliges him by blows with his wings and bill to surren- 

 der his finny prey, which the pirate instantly seizes and 

 swallows." 



The booby utters a loud cry, something between that of 

 the raven and the goose ; and this is heard more particularly 

 when they are pursued or when, assembled together, they are 

 seized with a sudden panic. Their nests, according to 

 Dampier, are built in trees in the Isle of Aves, though they 

 have been observed in other places to nestle on the ground. 

 They always associate in numbers on the same spot, and lay 

 one or two eggs. The young are covered with a very soft 

 down. Nuttall says that they abound on the rocky islets off 

 the coast of Cayenne and along the shores of New Spain and 

 Carraccas, as well as in Brazil and the Bahamas, where they 

 are said to breed almost every month in the year. In summer 

 they are not uncommon on the coast of the Southern States 

 of North America. The flesh he describes as black and un- 

 savoury. 



2. Ardca novcB-liollandicB. 



The White-fronted Heron. — This species is not nearly so 

 common as the Common Blue Heron {Ardea sacra) , and I have 

 not seen a specimen for many years ; but the one now before 

 you was killed at Waipawa in May last. It is now in the col- 

 lection of Mr. Smith, of the Masonic Hotel in this town. 



S. An thornis me lanura . 



The Bell-bird has almost disappeared from Hawke's Bay 

 and the Seventy-mile Bush for some years. The specimen 

 before you was procured at Takapau, and the sender informs 

 me that they are once more appearing in that district. 



4. Eudynamis. 



Amongst a collection of New Zealand bird-skins sent to the 

 Museum I found a skin of what appeared to be Eudynamis 

 with the long tail-feathers imperfect, some not fully grown. 

 On taking up the bird to ticket it, I saw that the breast, in- 

 stead of the usual brown marks, was distinctly transversely 

 barred with black metallic bars, as in the Bronze Cuckoo 

 (Chrysococcyx). These bars extend from the beak to the vent. 

 The bill is less robust than Eudynamis. The feet are light 

 in colour, like those of an albino specimen. It has certainly 

 the character of Eudynamis when seen from the back ; but 

 from the under side it suggests a cross between Eudynamis 

 and Chrysococcyx. 



