450 Transactions. — Zoology. 



Last April (1895) the presence of a strange bird was noticed 

 at Stoke, near the sea-shore, west of the entrance to Nelson 

 Harbour. Mr. C. Martin states several members of his family 

 noticed its peculiar flight and heard its cry. Mr. A. E. Green 

 also saw it, and the latter gentleman found it dead on the 

 sands on the 17th April, and sent it to a taxidermist, when it 

 was found to be too decomposed to preserve. It was after- 

 wards given to me, and proved to be a specimen of the 

 Australian Eoller. I embalmed it, in order to keep the body 

 for reference. 



It is stated by Sir Walter Buller, on the authority of 

 Messrs. Cayley and Gould, that the Australian Eoller is very 

 local in its habitat in New South Wales, arriving there from 

 the north not earlier than October and disappearing in Feb- 

 ruary. If this is the case, it appears very strange to find in 

 the month of April in New Zealand a bird which should, in 

 the natural order of events, have been at that time in its 

 winter habitat in New Guinea. The other recorded instances 

 apparently occurred at such time as the bird would in an 

 ordinary case have been in New South Wales. 



Scale Insect (Planchonia quercicola). 



In December, 1894, I noticed at Stoke a scale insect on 

 the oaks on Mr. Marsden's property ; specimens were for- 

 warded to Mr. Maskell, who identified it as Planchonia querci- 

 cola, a species hitherto not recorded as found in New Zealand. 

 As I understand Mr. Maskell intends to describe it, I shall 

 confine myself to the result of inquiries and observation as to 

 its occurrence in this district. It appears it has been at Stoke 

 something like fourteen years ; the owner lately has checked 

 its increase by pruning and cutting down badlj'-iri'fested trees. 

 In Nelson itself about seven or eight years ago an oak badly 

 attacked was cut down and burnt in the grounds near the Pro- 

 vincial Buildings. Near by, in grounds adjoining the brewery, 

 is an oak with the insects plainly visible ; in Trafalgar Square 

 and on the Church Hill I noticed its presence ; also on an oak 

 in St. Paul's Churchyard, Brightwater ; and at the entrance- 

 gates of the residence of the Bishop of Nelson stand two oaks, 

 one badly infested, but, curiously enough, the other apparently 

 quite free. 



At present I am unable to give an opinion as to whether 

 the insect is increasing rapidly or not ; very possibly the 

 presence of its natural enemy may account for the fact that 

 no great damage such as occurred in the Bois de Boulogne, 

 Paris, about sixty years ago has as yet been done. It would, 

 however, be well if the several owners would prune the diseased 

 branches, and thus keep it in check. 



