Birds of New Zealand, 41 



Nycticorax caledonicus. 



Dr. Buller says that several instances have been reported 

 of this bird occurring in the south island ; but both Dr. Haast 

 and Mr. Fuller assure me that they never heard of it. The 

 only authenticated New-Zealand specimen appears to be the 

 one mentioned by Dr. Buller as having been shot in the pro- 

 vince of Wellington sixteen years ago ; but when I came to 

 the Colonial museum I found two or three specimens^ without 

 labels, among the New-Zealand birds^ and I somehow got the 

 idea into my head that they had been obtained in the south 

 island : this made me state, in my ' Catalogue of the Birds of 

 New Zealand/ that the bird was found in both islands, a 

 mistake which has probably led Dr. Buller astray. 



Larus scopulinus. 



The young of this bird takes a year and a half to arrive at 

 the full colours of the adult. When one year old they lose 

 the brown feathers of the wings and back and assume the 

 plumage of the adult ; but the red bill and legs are not got 

 until the second spring. 



Larus bulleri. 



This bird is, no doubt, identical with L. pomare. It does 

 not " deposit its eggs on the bare ground," but forms a very 

 good nest. 



DiOMEDEA MELANOPHRYS. 



Dr. Buller wiU find more information on the subject of 

 Petrels flying at night in 'The Ibis' for 1867, p. 193. 



PeLECANOIDES tJRINATRIX. 



This bird flies very fairly ; and it is quite incorrect to de- 

 scribe it as " a rapid fluttering movement along the surface 

 of the water.'^ 



PUFFINUS BREVICAtJDtfS. 



This bird is not by any means abundant on our coasts ', 

 only one specimen has as yet been obtained, which was ex- 

 hibited by Dr. Buller in the New-Zealand Exhibition of 1865. 

 The nesting-places mentioned by Dr. Buller in the Kaima- 

 nawa ranges and in the Taupopatea country are no doubt 

 those of Procelluriu park'msom. 



