grallte. 65 



"'Although no examples of the Notornis have since been obtained, 

 it does not necessarily follow that the species is absolutely extinct. 

 The recluse habits of such a bird, as already pointed out by Mr. 

 Gould, would account for its hitherto escaping notice in the only 

 partially explored portions of the country. ^^ — Buller. 



Since the above was written a third example of the Notornis has 

 been obtained, having been lately captured by a party of rabbit- 

 hunters with dogs at a place known as " Bare-patch,^^ between the 

 Maruia and Upokororo Rivers, on the plains eastward of Te Anau 

 Lake. The first of Mr. Mantell's specimens, mentioned above, was 

 caught by a party of Maori sealers at Duck Cove, in Resolution 

 Island, Dusky Sound ; and the second on Secretary Island, opposite 

 to Deas Cove, Thompson Sound. Thus the three known examples 

 have been taken from localities ninety miles apart, and over an 

 interval of thirty-five years, proving pretty conclusively that the 

 species still survives in the remote parts of the country. It may be 

 mentioned that Dr. Hector — who supplies the above information from 

 personal inquiries among the Maoris at Riverton in 1863 — was 

 assured by the Natives that the bird was even then plentiful at the 

 head of the north-west arm of Te Anau Lake^ and they indicated 

 a particular locality near a small lake in the valley leading to Bligh 

 Sound. 



The interest attaching to our bird has been enhanced by the dis- 

 covery that the White Swamp Hen of Norfolk Island is likewise a 

 true Notornis, thus widening considerably the ancient range of the 

 genus, and furnishing an important fact in geographic distribution. 



PoRPHTEio. Briss. 



Bill, short, elevated at the base, which is flat and dilated on the forehead ; second, third, 

 and fourth quills nearly equal and longest ; tail, short, rounded ; tarsi, shorter than the 

 middle toe ; toes, very long, free at the base ; hind toe, long. 



Warm and temperate climates all over the vrorld. 



96. Porphyrio melanotus. Temm. 



Swamp-hen. Pukeko. 



Above, deep black; breast, indigo-blue; abdomen, black; under tail-coverts, white; 

 bill and legs, red. In the young, the feathers on the back and wings are tijjped with green, 

 and those on the breast with buff. 



Albino varieties occur sometimes. 



L., 17; W., 10; B., 1-6; T., 3-6. 



Egg. — Greyish-brown, with dots and blotches of grey and brownish-violet ; length, 2'2; 

 breadth, 1-5. 



Hab. — Both Islands ; Chatham Islands, Australia, Tasmania, New Caledonia. 



" The Swamp-hen is widely distributed over Tasmania, the greater 

 part of the continent of Australia, New Zealand, and the Chatham 



