96 Transaction*. — Zoology. 



I saw these birds in considerable numbers during the breeding 

 season, on the outlying islands off the East Coast, especially on 

 the Morotiri group. The plumage of Puffinus assimilis (Gould), 

 Totorore, adult, is: crown of the head, upper part, wing, and 

 tail, sooty black; side of the face, throat, and under-siuface, 

 white ; eyes, blueish black ; tarsus, light flesh-colour, with a 

 blueish tinge, yellowish at the webs. The measurement from 

 tip of the bill to end of the tail is 11 inches; wings, from flexor, 

 7*5; tail, 2-75; tarsus, 1-38; middle toe, 1-75. From the fore- 

 going it is obvious that this species differs in plumage and size 

 from Puffinus gavius, also the egg. Seeing Puffinw gavius and 

 P. assimilis in the distance on the ocean, they appear alike, but 

 the flight of P. assimilis is more active. Another contrast be- 

 tween the two species is that while the down on the very 

 young of P. assimilis is light grey, the throat, breast, abdomen, 

 white, the down of P. gavius is altogether grey, of a darker 

 colour. The measurement of skeleton of adults compared, show: 

 Puffinm assimilis (Gould), Totorore, from tip of bill to vent, 9*1 ; 

 wing, the whole length, 6*85 ; leg, 6*5 ; head, 2-6. Puffinus 

 gavius, from tip of bill to vent, 11-5 ; wing, 8*5 ; leg, to tip of 

 toe, 7 ; head, 3-1. The Natives call P. assimilis " Totorore," 

 and P. gavius, "Hakoakoa." Having amassed the facts which 

 I have given you, I placed them before Professor Thomas, 

 F.L.S., and T. Cheeseman, F.L.S., and, after a careful ex- 

 amination of the specimens, they agreed with me that this is 

 Puffinus assimilis (Gould), a new species to New Zealand, which 

 I have the honour to add to the Ornithology of this country, 

 raising the number to 177 ; I have also to acknowledge my 

 indebtedness to the Eight Eev. Dr. Cowie, Bishop of Auck- 

 land, who kindly lent me the illustrated part, fol. 7, Gould's 

 " Birds of Australia," where there is a life-size coloured illus- 

 tration of Puffinus assimilis, as you see here, with a series of 

 specimens for examination. 



Art. XVIII. — Observations on the Habits of New Zealand Birds, 

 their Usefulness or Destructircness to the Country. 



By A. Eeischek, F.L.S. 

 [Read before the Auckland Institute, 19th October, 1885.] 



Hieeacidea novje-zealandue, Lath. — Quail Hawk (Kaiaia). 



Male and female of this species are similar in plumage, but 

 the latter is larger in size. They prey on wild and domestic 

 fowl, and are very destructive. I have often seen them swoop 

 down on and kill wild pigeons, ducks, etc. 



