Ornithology of New Zealand. 115 



Anthornis melanura. 



The extensive Avoodcd district lying between Wangarei and 

 the North Cape is not inhabited by Maoris at all ; and Captain 

 Ilutton^s argument therefore fails. Dr. Hector, who made a 

 geological survey of this district in 1868, did not meet with 

 a single Anthornis, whereas formerly these birds existed there 

 in thousands. As Captain Hutton has '' never observed any 

 bright-coloured feathers/^ he cannot, I think, have collected 

 many nests. The observations recorded by Mr. Potts (Trans. 

 N. Z. Inst. 1869, ii. p. 56) fully accord with my own. 



Orthonyx albicilla. 



I cannot concur in the opinion expressed by Captain Hut- 

 ton; for the two birds certainly belong to the same genus. 1 

 confess, however, that the form is somewhat aberrant from the 

 typical Orthonyx. 



As to resemblances of song, that is purely a matter of fancy 

 and association. I have never considered the song of our 

 Wood-Robin [Miro longipes) in the least degree like that of 

 the Canary. 



CeRTHIPARUS NOV^-ZEALANDIiE. 



I cannot accept Captain Hutton's identification of the sup- 

 posed eggs of this bird in the Otago Museum without further 

 proof. I have already pointed out (B. of N. Z. p. 105) that 

 he had confounded tlxis species with the very common Or- 

 Ihonyx albicilla of the North Island. He has since repeated 

 the error in his 'Catalogue^ by stating (p. 11) that Certhi- 

 parus novae-zealandia inhabits " both islands." 



GeRYGONE FLAVIVEXTRIS. 



The fact that this species uses spiders^ nests in the con- 

 struction of its own nest was first mentioned by me in 1870 

 (Trans. N. Z. Inst. vol. iii. p. 42), and was contradicted by 

 Captain Hutton, in his usual emphatic manner, in the critical 

 notes appended to his ' Catalogue.' There is nothing unac- 

 countable, as it seems to me, in the use of the green- coloured 

 nest of Epdra verrucosa, and the rejection of the orange- 

 coloured nest of F,. antipodiana. It is easily explained on the 

 principle of assimilative or protective colouring. 



