Letters from the Pacific. 399 



As Kakapos {Stringops) and Kiwis are found only on the 

 west coast of the South Island, which I did not visit, they 

 did not come under my notice ; but I got Apteryx australis 

 in King^s Country, in the North Island ; and this species is 

 still numerous in some parts of Waikato, but only the natives 

 with their dogs are able to get them. I may also mention 

 that I was present when Dr. Hector held a conversation with 

 two men who had just returned from a remote locality on 

 the west coast, and both assured us that they had seen not 

 only footprints of the Moa, but the famous bird itself. The 

 future will prove whether they were right or not ; but it is 

 certain that there are still extensive portions of country on 

 the west coast never yet penetrated by man. 



Of rapacious birds, I met with Hieracidea nova-zealandice a 

 few times in the mountains and on the Mackenzie plains ; but 

 Circus assimilis I found nearly everywhere, except in the 

 dense woods. The bird is seen mostly single, but also in 

 pairs; and once, in the neighbourhood of Wauganui, I observed 

 as many as fifteen together. It has exactly the same habits 

 as our Marsh- Harrier. Of Owls I only got Athene nov(s- 

 zealandia near Wanganui. 



Turning to the Grallee, I tried in vain to get Anarhynchus 

 frontalis along the banks of the Wanganui river and the sea- 

 shore, where it is said that this bird may nearly always be 

 found ; but I only met with large flocks of Charadrius bi- 

 cinctus, most of them in the garb of the young bird, but some 

 in full plumage, although it was in winter. Charadrius 

 obscurus (which lives in the alpine region) I did not see ; the 

 Black Oystercatcher {Hamatopus niger) I only observed once, 

 on the sea-shore near Wanganui. Of Stilts I saw both species, 

 Himantopus melas in the valley of the Tasman river, and H. 

 leucocephalus on the Rotomahana. Of Herons I only ob- 

 served Botaurus poeciloptiius in the swamps of Waikato ; and 

 I may add that the so-called " White Crane " of the settlers 

 {Ardea alba) is one of the rarest birds of the colony. Of 

 Rallus pectoralis I got some specimens in Wanganui, through 

 the kindness of my friend Mr. Drew, who, as a great admirer 

 of natural science, especially ornithology, assisted me in the 



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