28 



impossible for me to do more than notice the genus cur- 

 sorily. Dr. Buller, in his " Birds of New Zealand," admits 

 three species, viz., — 1, 0. australis ; 2, 0. carli ; and 3, 0. 

 fuscus; but more recently Captain Hutton has written a 

 paper on Oci/dromus and admits six species, as follows : — 

 1, 0. troglodytes (Gm.) ; 2, 0. hectovi, Hutt ; 3, 0. australis, 

 Sparrm ; 4, 0. fuscus, Du Bus ; 5, 0. finschi, Hutt. ; 6, 0. 

 earli, Gray. Of all these he gives characters. 



Dr. Finsch in his late essay {J. f. 0. 1874, p- 197) 

 admits the six species, which he discusses in his own 

 masterly manner, but he refers the bird figured by Dr. Buller 

 as 0. earli to the true 0. australis (Sparrm) : he gives 

 synonymy of each. 



56. OCYDROMUS TROGLODYTES. 



Ocydromus troglodytes (Gm.) ; ITutton, Tr. N. Z. Inst, v., 

 p. 110 ; Fiiisch, J. f. 0. 1874, ^j. 197. 



Ocydromus australis, Bidkr, B. N. Zeal. j). 170, pi. 19, /. 1. 



" The distinguishing marks of this species are its large 

 size, the general olivaceous tint of its plumage, the middle 

 tail-feathers having generally a black streak down the shaft, 

 and the primary feathers of the wing tapering towards 

 the point. 



Height of Middle toe, 



wing. Tail. Culmen. bill Tarsus. without 



at base. claw. 



"Male ... 7-8 4-8 2-0 -83 2-5 2-4 



Female.. 67 44 17 7 2-1 2-15" 



(Hutton, I. c.) 



.57. Ocydromus hectori. 



Ocydromus hectori, Hutton, Tr. K Z. Inst, v., j). 110 ; 

 Finsch. J. f. 0. 1874, p. 198. 



" In size and style of colouring this bird resembles 0. 

 troglodytes, but its bill is more rolmst, its general hue is 

 Isabella brown, or fawn-coloured ; the primary feathers of 

 the wing are rounded at the tip, and the brown bauds on 

 the webs are very narrow, sometimes becoming obsolete. 

 The tail is coloured as in 0. troglodytes. 



Height of Middle toe. 



Wing. Tail. Culmen. bill Tarsus. without 



at base. claw. 



"Male ... 7-8 4-8 2-3 -93 2-3 2-2 



" This species is described from a single specimen only, 

 and more must be obtained before we can feel sure whether 

 it should stand as a separate species, or only as a sub- 

 species of 0. troglodytes. This specimen was obtained by 

 Mr. Morton, near the Te Anau Lake, in Otago." (Hutton, 

 I. c). 



Dr. Finsch (I. c.), who has examined the type specimen, 

 believes this to be a well-marked species. 



58. Ocydromus australis. 



Plate 14. 



Ocydromus australis (.^9fM-?-wi.); Gray, anied,p. 31; Finsch, 

 J. f. 0. 1872, jj. 178, ct 1874, |). 198 ; IIutto7i, Tr. K Z. List. 

 v., p. 111. 



" Distinguished from the two former by its smaller size, 



the rust-red tint of its plumage, the grey colour of the 

 throat and lower part of the breast (especially in the male 

 bird), the more strongly marked pectoral band, and in the 

 primary feathers of the wing tapering towards the point. 



Height of Middle toe, 



wing. Tail. Culmen. bill Tarsus. without 



at base. claw. 



"Male ... 6-5 44 17 -69 2-0 2-0 



Female.. 67 44 1-8 -68 2-0 2-0 



" The middle tail-feathers are generally barred, but this 

 is very variable. Except by the size, this species is not 

 always easy to recognise from 0. troglodytes, and it is pos- 

 sible that it may prove to be a variety of it." (Hutton, 

 I.e.) 



Dr. Finsch unites with 0. australis Dr. Buller's figure of 

 0. earli. I have compared the type of the latter species 

 with Sparrman's figure, and it does not agree at all, whereas 

 it is like the bird figured by Dr. Buller, but has not such a 

 distinct breast-band as is represented by him. 



59. Ocydromus earli. 



Ocydromus earli. Gray ; Hutton, Tr. N. Z. Inst, v., p. 

 Ill ; Flnseh, J. f. 0. 1874, p. 199. 



As before mentioned. Dr. Buller's identification of this 

 species has been doubted by Dr. Finsch, but I must wait 

 for a larger series before being able to settle this question. 



60. Ocydromus fuscus. 



Ocydromus fuscus, Dv, Bus; Buller, B. N. Zeal. p. 174; 

 Finseh, J. f. 0. 1874, p. 199; Hutton, Tr. K Z. Inst., v., p. 

 111. 



Captain Hutton says : — " This species appears to be 

 confined to the south-east of Otago, on the western side of 

 the Alps." It is a well characterized bird and there is no 

 doubt connected with its specific identification at present. 



61. Ocydromus fixschl 



Ocydromus finschi, Hutton, Tr. iV. Z. Inst, v., p. Ill ; 

 Finsch, J. f. 0. 1874, jJ. 199. 



" Throat, abdomen, and thighs dark brownish-grey ; 

 feathers of the rest of the body brownish-black, with spots 

 of yellowish ferruginous on the outer margins of each web. 

 Under tail-coverts, and feathers of the fiauks banded with 

 yellowish ferruginous. Primary feathers of the wing 

 acutely pointed, brownish-black, banded on each web with 

 dull ferruginous ; secondaries with yellow ferruginous spots 

 on the margins of each web. Middle tail-feathers brownish- 

 black, the outer ones with spots of yellow ferruginous on 

 the margins of the web. Bill dark Ijrown, getting reddish 

 towards the base of the lower mandible. Legs brownish- 

 red. 



Height of Middle toe. 



Wing. Tail. Culmen. bill Tarsus. without 



at base. claw. 



"Male ... 77 5-0 1-9 -8 2-35 2.25 

 Female.. 6-35 46 17 -64 21 2-0" 



(Hutton, /. c.) 



