456 Prof. F. W. Hutton on 



arched, not concave over the nostrils. Tarsus as long as 

 the middle toe without claw. Third primary the longest, 

 slightly longer than the second and fourth ; the first as long 

 as the sixth. Claw on the wing rounded, pointed, slightly 

 curved. 



The sternum is long and narrow, slightly constricted below 

 the costal border. Coracoids separated; anterior portion 

 between the grooves slightly concave, smooth, without any 

 median process. Five sternal ribs articulate to the sternum, 

 and there is a sixth flying sternal rib. Lateral processes 

 slender, parallel, produced considerably beyond the end of 

 the sternum, not dilated at the ends ; the keel strong, well 

 developed, with a convex exterior margin. The scapula forms 

 a right angle with the coracoid. Length 1'33 inch; breadth 

 •53; depth of keel '35; length of coracoid '78; length of 

 scapula 1*32. 



XLIT. — On Harpa novse-zealandise {GmeL). By F. W. 

 Hutton, Professor of Natural Science in the Otago Uni- 

 versity. 



As a help towards settling the disputed point as to whether 

 there are in New Zealand one or two species of the genus 

 Harpa, or whether there are two distinct races or subspecies 

 included under H. novce-zealandia, I have, for the last five 

 years, carefully examined and measured every specimen be- 

 longing to that genus that has passed through my hands, and 

 I now lay the results before the readers of ' The Ibis.' 



The difference, if any, between the two species or subspecies 

 appears to rest entirely on size. Dr. Buller says, " but for 

 the manifest difference in size it would be impossible to 

 distinguish the two birds " {' Birds of New Zealand,' p. 7) . 



Mr. Sharpe certainly says that the subspecies H. australis* 

 is " similar to H. nova-zealandia, but smaller and more ashy 



* H. australis=H. hrunnea=H. ferox. Dr. Buller is mistaken in 

 saying that the name of H. ferox has priority over H. australis, for 

 H. australis was given in 1841, and H. ferox not until 1848 (see Sharpe, 

 ' Catalogue of Birds '). 



