BuLLER. — On Nezv Zealand Ornithology. 347 



viously shown by him, indicates only a superficial resem- 

 blance. Like so many other ISiew Zealand forms, Nestor 

 seems to be isolated, and may fairly be deemed to represent 

 a separate family — Nestorida; — a view adopted by Count T. 

 Salvador! (Cat. B., Brit. Mus., xx., Introd., p. viii.), and fully 

 justified by a cursory examination of its osteology, though this 

 has hitherto been only imperfectly described and figured." 



It will be remembered that at a former meeting I exhibited 

 a specimen of the Yellow-belted Kaka named by Mr. Gould 

 Nestor esslingii, in honour of the Prince D'Essling. I have 

 now to exhibit another example of this peculiarly-coloured 

 form, from the same locality. Seeing that no less than five 

 have been obtained at different times, it may seem unreason- 

 able not to accord the bird full recognition as a distinct species. 

 But the tendency to albinism in some of the claws in the 

 beautiful specimen now exhibited makes me still suspicious, 

 and, for the present at any rate, it will, I think, be safer to 

 rank it as a well-marked variety. I may mention, however, 

 that in this bird the bill seems finer than in ordinary examples 

 of Nestor vieridionalis, coming nearer in this respect, as well 

 as in the yellow colour of the under-mandible, to the very 

 distinct Nestor notahilis. 



Stringops habroptilus, Gray. (Ground-parrot ) 



Major Mair informs me that the Kakapo, according to the 

 Maoris, is still to be found in the Upper Wanganui. Formerly 

 it was very abundant there, as also in the Kaimanawa Eanges, 

 in the direction of Taupo. Major Mair adds, "The natives 

 caught the Kakapo by the aid of trained dogs. The birds, 

 when going out to feed, always placed one on sentry. The 

 object with the kakapo-hunter was to bag this one first, then 

 the whole family would be secured ; but if the sentinel gave 

 the alarni the others all slipped over the side of the ridge. 

 The dogs used to wear a rattle, called by the Whanganui 

 tatara, and by the Ngatimaniapoto rore. The purpose of this 

 rattle was that the masters of the dogs should know where 

 they were." 



Carpophaga novae-zealandiae, Gmelin. (Wood-pigeon.) 



To the many instances of albinism reported from time to 

 time I have now to add two more. One of these is a pure 

 albino, from the Wanganui district. The entire plumage in 

 this bird is pure white, with just the faintest tinge of buff on 

 the shoulders and upper wing-coverts. The other specimen is 

 from Collingwood, and being only partially an albino presents 

 a very peculiar appearance. The entire plumage is pure white 

 with the following exceptions : From the lower mandible, on 

 each side, a broad patch of purplish-black, with metallic re- 



