TO SY.W ZKVLAXn BIRDS, 



RnTNcnASPiB. Steph. 



Bill, longer than the liead, much dilated for half its length from tlie tip ; lamellie lonj;. 

 Europe, Asia, Norlli America, Australia. 



102. Rhynchaspis variegata. Gouhi. 



Shotelleh. Kuruwiienoi. 

 (Plate XXX.) 



Above, dark brown ; head and neck, dark grey, with a white line near tlie bill ; breast, 

 brown, varied with rufous-white ; abdomen, dark rufous ; wing-coverts, and a longitudinal 

 strijie on the wings, ash-grey. 



Female. — Brown. 



L., 17-5; W., 10; B., 2-8; T., 1-3. 



Egg. — Greenish-white ; length, 21 ; breadth, 1'45. 



JIab. — Both Islands, and Chatham Islands. 



" It is by no means a oommon .species in any part of New Zea- 

 land, -wliile in the nortliern portions ot" the North Island, so far as I 

 am aware, it has never yet been met with. It frequents the shallow 

 lagoons near the sea-coast, and the quiet l)ush-crceks overshadowed 

 by trees, usually associating in pairs, but sometimes forming parties 

 of three or more. It flies with rapidity, and often at a considerable 

 elevation, descending to the ground or water in a slanting manner, 

 and with the wings bent in the form of a bow. "When disturbed on 

 the water it produces a low whistling note ; but it is far less suspi- 

 cious than the common Grey Duck, and is easily approached and 

 shot. It subsists on minute fresliAvater mollusks, aquatic insects, 

 tender herbage, and the seeds of the toctoe and other plants ; on 

 opening the stomachs of several I have found a mass of comminuted 

 substances of a greenish colour, among Avhich could be distinguislud 

 fragments of vegetable matter, seeds, the remains of insects, and 

 numerous small ])cbbles of white chalcedony. It no doubt extracts 

 much organic matter from the slimy mud and sand in the places it is 

 accustomed to frequent, inasmuch as Nature has furnished it with a 

 very remarkable spoon-shaped bill, from which it derives its popular 

 name. The surface of the upper mandible is smooth, but slightly 

 furrowed from the nostrils outwardly, and in its anterior portion is 

 marked with numerous punctures ; its nail is almond-shaped, and 

 forms a strong overhanging lip with a hard cutting-edge ; in the 

 lower mandible there is a corresponding development, resembling in 

 shai)e the human finger-nail, which fits into the upper process, form- 

 ing, so to speak, a strong terminal beak ; the lamellyc are highly 

 developed in both mandibles, presenting a conil)-likc appearance; 

 and in addition to this the lower mandible lias a rasped outer edge/' 



BULLER. 



