96 Letters, Announcements, S^c. 



Lastly the Natal bird is smaller than the Damara bird of 

 the same sex, as will appear by the following measurements : — 



Wing from Middle 



carpal joint. Tail. Tarsus, toe s. u. 



in. lin. in. lin. lin. lin. 



C. hrcvicatidata J, Daraaraland 2 4 1 11 10 7 



C. hrevicaudata 5, Daraaralaud 2 1 19 10 7 



C. o/jVacea $, Natal Ill 15 10 5 



I am yours, &c., 



J. H. GURNEY. 



Diinipace House, FaUdtk, 

 October 2n(i, 1873. 



Sir. — I have lately received the eggs of a few species of 

 New-Zealand birds collected by my friend Mr. T. R. Cooke 

 in the province of Canterbuiy. Possibly the following notes 

 from the pen of the collector may prove of interest to you. 

 You may rely on their accuracy. 



Casarca variegata. Paradise Duck. Maori name Pu- 

 tangitangi. 



Three eggs. Nest with eight eggs, in schist rock on upper 

 Waiko, nearly inaccessible in a horizontal fissure some 50 

 feet from the ground. Nest lined with down. Thirty miles 

 inland. December 13th, 1872. 



PoRPHYRio MELANOTUs. Swamp-Hcu. Pukeko. 



Five eggs. Nest in rushes or sedge or tussac in or very 

 near water, like Waterhen's. Bird lays five or six eggs. 

 December 1872. 



H^MATOPUs LONGiROSTRis. Pied Oyster-catcher. Torea. 



Two eggs. Nest on bare shingle of Otaio river-bed, hard 

 to find. A smaller (?) black variety"'^ breeds, I fancy, on sea- 

 beach. Skin of this bird also sent. 



HiMANTOPUS NOVjE-ZEALANDIiE. Picd Stilt. Pooka. 



Six eggs. Nest on shingle of Otaio river-bed. Easy to 

 find. Birds bold and noisy. Nest of drift- weed, fairly built. 



* Hesmatopus imicolor (Wagler). 



