42 On certain Birds of New Zealand. 



PUFFINUS GAVIUS. 



Dr. Buller gives P. opisthomelas (Coues) as a synonym of 

 this species. In this he probably follows" me, as he docs not 

 say that he has been able to compare it with any typical spe- 

 cimens. But this is another of my mistakes that he has un- 

 fortunately adopted without acknowledgment ; for on a fur- 

 ther examination I find that our bird always has the under 

 tail-coverts pure white, while in P. opisthomelas most of them 

 are fuliginous. P. gavius can hardly be said to " enjoy a wide 

 oceanic rauge/^ when it has never yet been found out of sight 

 of New Zealand. 



Thalassidroma fregata. 



This species is far more plentiful in New Zealand than T. 

 melanog aster. 



Procellaria parkinsoni 

 is common all round the New-Zealand coasts, and not by any 

 means confined to the Hauraki Gulf as Dr. Buller would 

 seem to imply. It breeds in the Rimutaka mountains near 

 "Wellington. 



Daption capensis. 



I cannot agree with Dr. Buller that the history of this bird 

 has been fully recorded when even its breeding-place is not 

 yet known. 



PhALACROCORAX NOViE-HOLLANDIjE. 



This bird difi'ers from Eui'opean specimens in never getting 

 so white on the head and neck ; but this is not, in my opinion, 

 sufl&cient to entitle it to rank as a distinct species. Dr. Bul- 

 ler, in his quotation from my catalogue, omits the first part 

 of the sentence, in which I say that the change in my opinion 

 about this bird was owing to my having visited the South 

 Island. 



Phalacrocorax brevirostris. 



According to Mr. H. Travers this bird is not found in the 

 Chatham Islands. 



Phalacrocorax punctatus. 



The stage of plumage figured and described by Dr. Buller 



