from the Antipodes. 245 



was drawn down transfixed on the spear, which was shortly after 

 on its way up the tree again for the scarcely dead creature's mate. 



The Kakapo {Strigops hahroptilus) has all but disappeared 

 from the Northern Island. The Weka [Ocijdromus australis) is 

 very scarce. Mr. Webster writes as if he had not seen it, and 

 says, '' I have been unable as yet to. procure a specimen for you." 

 I never succeeded in getting one during my ten months^ stay in 

 the Northern Island. 



As much of our travelling was done by sea, I was enabled to 

 note pretty accurately what birds fi"equented the coast. I saw 

 Diomedea exulans, chlororhijncha, melanophrys, and fuliginosa. 

 The ]\Iutton-bird [Piiffi,nus hrevicaudus, Gould) is wonderfully 

 abundant. Doption capensis is common. The Diving Petrels 

 [Puffinuria urinatrix, Gould ?) to the north of East Cape are 

 very abundant ; to the south I never saw them. Besides these, I 

 observed Gannets, two kinds of Terns [Sterna casjna, and another 

 with deeply forked tail and black head). Blue Petrels, three 

 varieties of Cormorants, and two Gulls {Xema jamesonii and 

 Larus pacificus). 



In the marshes about Napier, on the east coast, are myriads of 

 Ducks — Hymenolcemus malacorhynchus, Casarca variegata, and 

 another which I cannot identify. Several Terns (differing from 

 those already named, but which I recoguized as figured by Gould), 

 a few Sandpipers, and a beautiful grey-crested Cormorant with 

 black spots on its back (also figured by Gould) complete my 

 list. 



Among the Sandj)ipers, a Godwit [Lhnosa uropygialis ?), mis- 

 named the " Curlew " by the colonists, abounds, and affords 

 almost the only spoi't to shooters : they are delicious eating. I 

 heard of 112 being killed at two discharges by some of the 

 officers of H. M. S. 'Harrier.' The Black Oyster-catcher [Ha- 

 matopus unicolor) is also much sought after as an article of 

 " gibier." 



I had almost forgotten the large blue Water- Hen [Porphyrio 

 melanotus), which may be seen in vast numbers in all the swamps 

 and reedy margins of the rivers ; nor is the Bittern [Botaurus 

 melanotus) uncommon. A single specimen of the White Heron 

 {Herodias flavirostris) was shot near Auckland and brought tome. 



