Bullek. — On the Ornithology of Neiv Zealand. 109 



Oamaru, where they are being greatly cared for by every one. 

 In the spring of 1892 flocks of two or three dozen were 

 observed in the neighbourhood of Cape Farewell." I have no 

 doubt these visitants are referable to the above species. (See 

 "Birds of New Zealand," 2nd ed., vol. i., pp. 74-76.) 



Prosthemadera novse-zealandiae, Gmelin. (Tui.) 



On examining a series of ten eggs I find that they vary a 

 good deal both as to shape and colouring. For the most part 

 they are of a narrow ovoido-elliptical form, with a very pro- 

 nounced smaller end, but a few of them are less acuminate, 

 and one is broadly ovoid. A typical one measures l-25in. by 

 O80in. ; the more rounded one I have mentioned measures 

 l-125in. by 0'88in. This is almost entirely white, with only a 

 few indistinct, widely-scattered, rusty or pale-red spots towards 

 the larger end. The most highly-coloured example is of a 

 delicate creamy-white or salmon tint, the larger end darker 

 and thickly spotted and dotted with pale brown, these mark- 

 ings forming an indistinct zone. Two other eggs are almost 

 exactly similar to this one, but with a paler ground, and all 

 three are probably from one nest. Another set of three have 

 scattered, somewhat obscure pale-brown markings over the 

 entire surface. The three remaining ones (presumably from 

 one nest) are white, with here and there a speck of pale 

 brown, chiefly at the larger end. 



Antliornis melanura, Sparrm. (Korimako.) 



At 7 p.m. on the 26th October we left Tokanu for Tapuae- 

 haruru in a four-oared boat, manned by a good crew of Armed 

 Constabulary. It was a beautiful, calm day, and the surface 

 of the lake was a perfect mirror. Five miles from land we 

 could still hear the hollow boom of the Bittern, and the bark- 

 ing of the curs in the Maori village. There was not a breath 

 of air to cause a ripple on the bosom of the lake, and the 

 rock-bound margin of Motutaiko danced in the mirage of the 

 morning sun. Our men were settling down to a long pull of 

 twenty-five miles, and we had just arranged to make straight 

 for Motutaiko and rest there for an al fresco lunch, when the 

 seaman Todd, who was in charge of the crew, pointed to 

 an advancing ripple from the southward ; and, without a 

 moment's warning, we were overtaken by a squall which in- 

 creased in fury with amazing rapidity. Within the brief 

 space of five minutes, instead of dreamily rowing on the placid 

 waters, we were pitching and tossing in an angry sea — the 

 rudder was powerless, and the oarsmen had the utmost diffi- 

 culty in keeping the boat's head on. We shipped several 

 heavy seas, and struggled on for hours, sometimes drifting, at 

 others just holding our own, as the storm varied in force, the 



