LIST OF SPECIES 



Ochtkodronius ohscvrus— Dotterel. 



Sphenceacns punctatus — Fern Bird — Reed Sparrow. Fern 

 Birds in Buller's early volumes are classified as Sphen- 

 reaeus punctatus — Fern Bird ; Sphenaeacus f ulvus — Ful- 

 vous Fern Bird; and Sphenteacus rufescens — Chatham 

 Island Fern Bird. Writing of the first-named species, 

 BuUer says, in his Supplement, "I have received a 

 pair of Fern Birds from Stewart Island, which seem 

 to represent a larger race than the one inhabiting the 

 North and South Islands. In plumage it is precisely 

 similar, except that the black spots on the breast appear 

 to be more pronounced. ' ' The birds photographed may, 

 therefore, be forms of either Sphenseacus punctatus 

 or Sphenfeacus fulvus now re-named Bowdleria punc- 

 tata and Bowdleria fulva, and species so nearly allied 

 that Buller in his Supplement only "thinks" they 

 should be kept distinct, and remarks further, that they 

 are "no doubt very closely related." Oology can claim 

 perhaps no right to speak authoritatively, but the eggs 

 taken from nests got on Tutira and elsewhere in the 

 North and from nests got in Stewart Island are 

 perfectly dissimilar, the former always blotched and 

 freckled with colour edges ill-defined and running — 

 the latter always speckled, each minute speckle distinct 

 and clear. There are slight but apparently constant 

 differences in the shapes also. 



Acanthidositta chloris — Rifleman. 



CyanorJiamphus auriceps — Yellow-fronted Parrakeet. 



Author nis melanura — Bell-bird. 



Ocydromus AustraUs (Ocydromus Stewarfi — Ogilvie 

 Grant) — South Island Weka. 



Phalacrocorax varius — Pied Shag. 



Phalacrocorax chalcouotus — and Phalacrocorax Huttoni or 

 Stewarti — Pink-footed Shag and Stewart Island Shag, 

 may, I think, prove to be one and the same breed. 

 Buller. speaking of the latter species, says in his 

 supplement, "it associates closely with Phalacrocorax 

 chalconotus, occupies the same breeding colonies, and 

 I suspect often crosses with that species, for my col- 

 lection contains several specimens in what looks like 

 an intermediate plumage; so much so that for a time 

 I had a strong suspicion these birds would prove to 

 belong to one and the same species. I am not absolutely 



