60 NEW ZEALAND BIRDS. 



of wing by being able to run almost with the swiftness of a rat. 

 Its anterior extremities, although useless for the ordinary pur- 

 poses of flight, appear to be of some assistance to the Inrd when 

 running, as they are briskly fluttered, apparently for the purpose of 

 steadying the body. Like most other Rails, its wings are armed 

 below the carpal joint Avith a sharp spur, the object of which, unless 

 as a means of defence, it is not easy to divine. Even in very young 

 birds it is strong and sharp, and at maturity attains a length of '25 

 of an inch. I have observed that when two of these birds are fighting 

 they often buffet each other vnih their wings ; and I have frequently 

 myself been made aware of the existence of this spur on seizing the 

 bird with the hand. As, however, in the case of the smaller Rails 

 the spur is too diminutive to be at all effective as a weapon of defence, 

 it may serve some other useful end in the economy of the bird, Avliich 

 has hitherto escaped discovery 



" The New Zealand Ocydromus and the Dodo of the ^Mauritius 

 are the only two known forms (excepting, of course, the Strnthiones) 

 in which the angle formed by the axes of the coracoid and scapula is 

 greater than a right angle — a feature of such importance that Pro- 

 fessor Huxley has adopted it as one of the distinguishing characters 

 in his proposed scheme for the classification of birds, under the two 

 divisions of Carinata and Ratita. 



" The Woodhen is semi-nocturnal in its habits, and during the 

 day usually remains concealed in the thick fern or scrub which covers 

 its haunts, or takes refuge in a hollow log or other natural cavity. 

 Sometimes, however, it excavates a home for itself underground, the 

 work being performed entirely with the bill and with great rapidity, as 

 I ha\c frequently had an opportunity of observing. These subter- 

 ranean burrows are often of considerable length, and not only serve as 

 a diurnal retreat, but furnish also a convenient breeding-place.'^ — 



BULLER. 



86. Ocydromus australis. Span-m. 



SOUTHEEN WOODHEX. WeKA. 



(Plate XXV.) 



Yellowish-olivaceous, streaked with brownish-black; chin, cheeks, throat, aud abdomen, 

 grey ; breast, tinged with olivaceous ; quills, bhick bunded with briglit ferruginous. 



Note. — Varies much in colour, sometimes olivaceous, sometimes fawn-coloured. Albino 

 varieties also occur. 



L., 21; W., 7'75; B., 2-3; T., 22. 



JLgg. — Pinkisli-white, with reddish and violet marks s2iaringly distributed over the 

 surface; length, 2 85 ; brcadtli, l'()5. 



E-db. — South Island. 



'^ It is generally distributed over the Canterbury Province, and I 

 do not know any place except near the towns Avherc its loud and 



