28 Transactions. — Zoology. 



destined to overcome some famous Ngaitahu warrior, he went 

 to a neighbouring stream to bind the omen, and then, eager to 

 distinguish himself, summoned his followers, and took his 

 departure for the seat of war. In the crisis of the battle, 

 when Eakautauwheke was slaying those to the right and left 

 of him with his taiaha, Kana te Pu, watching his opportunity, 

 sprang upon his shoulders, and held him so firmly that he 

 could not draw his arms back again. He tried in vain to 

 shake him off, but by a sudden movement of his hands he 

 jerked the point of his weapon against the head of his oppo- 

 nent, and then, by a violent contortion of the body, succeeded 

 in inflicting a mortal wound, and the ' White Crane ' fell dead 

 at his feet." 



Ardea cinerea, Linn. (The Common Heron.) 



This cosmopolitan species has been met with in all suitable 

 localities throughout the whole of Europe, Africa, and Asia, 

 reaching Japan, many of the islands of the Indian Archipelago, 

 and even Australia. In the latter country it is evidently very 

 rare, for Mr. Gould only saw it once in the course of his 

 explorations. He says, " During my journey into the interior 

 of South Australia, in 1839, I saw a fine example of this bird, 

 but, although I resorted to every possible stratagem in my 

 power to get within shot of it, I regret to say I was unsuccess- 

 ful. I have since, however, received a skin direct from New 

 South Wales. Mr. Blyth considers that this Heron is not 

 specifically distinct from the Ardea cinerea of India and 

 Europe ; and, if this be really the case, the species enjoys a 

 very extensive range over the whole world." 



We have now to include New Zealand in the range of this 

 noble bird, Mr. A. Waley having obtained in Auckland the 

 skin of one which was caught on board a schooner off the 

 east coast, about the authenticity of which there can be no 

 doubt. 



Phalacrocorax onslowi, Forbes. (Chatham Island Shag.) 



I have now before me two specimens of the Chatham 

 Island Shag, which Dr. Forbes distinguished from P. iviperialis 

 under the above name. I find that, although the plumage is 

 similar to that of the Stewart Island bird, it differs in having 

 a cushion (if I may so term it) of red caruncles on each side 

 of the forehead. In P. caruncidatus, from Queen Charlotte 

 Sound, these caruncles are orange-coloured. The male bird 

 has a much broader and more conspicuous white alar bar than 

 the female, and it exhibits a broad white dorsal spot, which is 

 entirely absent in the other specnnen. I may add that the 

 latter has some beautiful white filaments at the back of each 

 eye. 



