Cheeseman. — Occ2irrence of Gallinago australis. 105 



covered with some of its own food and the refuse around it. 

 There it lay for five days, then moulted again for the last time, 

 and turned to the pupa (or chrysalis), from which the beetle 

 developed in thirteen days. 



The temperature I kept was about 70 deg. 



Art. XIII. — Notice of the Occurrence of the Australian Snipe 

 (Gallinago australis) in Neiu Zealand. 



By T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., F.Z.S. 



[Read before the Auckland Institute, 15th August, 1898.] 



The distance separating Australia and New Zealand is so 

 great that one might suppose it would present an almost 

 insuperable barrier to the migration of birds, save perhaps for 

 those species — as the albatros and its allies — whose home is 

 on the ocean itself. But, notwithstanding the twelve hundred 

 miles which intervene between the two countries, it is well 

 known that there are certain birds — as, for instance, the 

 shining cuckoo and the common godwit — which every spring 

 appear in New Zealand, and every autumn return to Australia. 

 And, in addition to these regular migrants, quite a number 

 of Australian birds occasionally visit New Zealand. As in- 

 stances I need only mention the Australian roller {Eury- 

 stomus pacificus), the Australian tree- swallow {Petrochelidon 

 nigricans), the Australian swift {Cypsehcs pacificus), the black- 

 faced shrike (Graucalus melanops), the masked plover (Lobi- 

 vanellus lohatus), and the true curlew (Numenius cyanops). 

 As to why it is that these species now and then stray so 

 far from their proper home we have no certain knowledge, 

 although we conjecture that in most cases it is probably 

 due to the influence of storms. I have now to exhibit a 

 specimen of the x\ustralian snipe {Gallinago australis), being, 

 as far as I am aware, the first obtained in this country. It 

 was shot by Mr. C. C. Sandford on the 26th March of this 

 year in a field near Arch Hill, on the western side of Auck- 

 land. Mr. Sandford recognised that it was a stranger, and 

 was kind enough to bring it to the Museum at once, thus 

 enabling me to have it properly preserved. Only one specimen 

 was noticed. 



The Australian snipe is very closely allied to the common 

 snipe of Europe {Gallinago coelestis), differing chiefly in the 

 slightly larger size, somewhat different plumage, and in the 



