Bullee. — On the Ornithology of Neiv Zealand. Ill 



size, but exhibit a considerable amount of variation in the 

 markings. In most of them the ground-colour is white, in 

 others it is suffused with a delicate pinky blush. Some have 

 the larger end smeared and the rest of the surface irregularly 

 spotted with rusty-brown; in others the brown markings 

 form an indistinct zone ; in some the brown is concentrated 

 at the larger pole, the rest of the shell being entirely free from 

 markings. In some specimens these markings are irregular, 

 being streaky or blotchy ; in others they are rounded dots, 

 being more or less confluent at the pole. Their colour varies 

 from a dull umber-brown to a warm reddish-brown. In a few 

 of them the markings are distributed over the entire surface 

 in the form of minute speckles, without any appearance of a 

 zone or any congestion at the larger pole. Two that I 

 selected for the purpose measured, respectively, 0'75in. by 

 O62oin. and 088in. by 055in., both being slightly pyriform. 



Pogonornis cincta, Gray. (Stitch-bird.) 



I have lately had an opportunity of examining a large 

 series of specimens collected for Mr. Spencer on the Little 

 Barrier Island, before that last resort of this species came 

 under Government protection. The young male has exactly 

 similar plumage to that of the adult female, except that there 

 is a broad spot of canary-yellow near the bend of the wing. 

 "When the first moult commences this expands into a con- 

 spicuous band on the humerus, after which there is a gradual 

 change of the body-plumage. I have described in " The 

 Birds of New Zealand " a beautiful specimen in the Auckland 

 Museum in a transitional state of plumage. 



Halcyon vagans, Lesson. (Kingfisher.) 



I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Taylor "White, of 

 Hawke's Bay, for the opportunity of exhibiting this evening a 

 lovely specimen of our Kingfisher. It is a perfect albino, 

 every feather being of the purest white, and the whiteness ex- 

 tending even to the bill and feet. 



■-> 



Nestor meridionalis, Gmelin. (Kaka.) 



This fine parrot is far less pleutiful than it formerly was, 

 and this is the inevitable result of settlement and the conse- 

 quent destruction of the forests. In districts where formerly 

 it existed in thousands its scream is never heard, and to many 

 of the new settlers the bird is quite unknown. It is semi- 

 nocturnal in its habits, and towards evening becomes very 

 animated, flying over the tree- tops in an excited manner, 

 generally in parties of three, uttering its harsh scream. This 

 changes to a soft musical whistle as the birds alight ; and, in 

 doing this, they always select, as a post of observation, the 



