BuLLER. — Oji Neiv Zealand Ornithology. 341 



in extent, and more or less wooded on its sides. From this 

 i>land I have lately received a single specimen of a species of 

 Xcnicus entirely distinct from the two forms {X. loiigipes and 

 X. gilviventris) inhabiting the mainland. 



" I have described and named this new bird, which may 

 fittingly be called the Island-wren, as distinguished from our 

 Bush-wren and Rock-wren ; and as these island-forms pre- 

 sent features of special interest to the student of geographic 

 zoology, I am forwarding the specimen in the hope that it 

 may be figured. 



" My correspondent on the island informs me that the 

 bird is semi-nocturnal in its habits, and that he has seen 

 three examples, all of which were brought in at different 

 times by the cat. 



" I hope shortly to receive further specimens of this 

 interesting form. In the meantime I regret that I am unable 

 to give the sex of the bird here described. In plumage it 

 differs conspicuously from the other two species, and it has a 

 decidedly more robust bill, whilst the claw on the hind-toe is 

 not larger than in Xeniciis longvpes. 



" Xenicus insularis, sp. nov. 



" Upper surface generally dark-olive with brown margins 

 to the feathers, presenting an obscurely-spotted or mottled 

 appearance ; a minute whitish spot in front of and another 

 underneath the eye ; a narrow superciliary streak, and the 

 whole of the throat, fore-neck, and breast, as well as the 

 wings at their flexure, olivaceous-yellow with darker margins ; 

 wings and tail, sides of the body, abdomen, croup, and under 

 tail-coverts olivaceous-brown. Plumage underneath plum- 

 beous. Upper mandible dark-brown with horn-coloured tip ; 

 under mandible, legs and feet, pale-brown. Length, 4in. ; 

 wing from flexure, 2in. ; tail, 0-75in. ; bill, along the ridge 

 0-75in., along tlie edge of lower mandible 0-75in. ; tarsus, 

 ■0-75in. ; middle toe and claw lin., hind toe and claw 0-7in. 



" Hab. Stephen Island, Cook Strait, N.Z."- 



I have since had an opportunity of examining a female 

 specimen. It is somewhat smaller than the male, and has 

 duller plumage, the mottled appearance on the upper surface 

 being less conspicuous, and there being more vinous-brown 

 on the sides and abdomen. 



Referring to this interesting discovery, an article, presura- 



* Some weeks after my specimen had reached the editor of the Ibis, 

 and whilst Jlr. Keulemans was preparing a drawing of it, Mr. Henry 

 Travers sent specimens from the same locality to the Hon. Walter 

 Rothschild, who, without knowing what I liad done, characterized the 

 species in the " Bulletin " of the British Ornithologists' Union under the 

 uame of Traversia lyalli. 



