'Extracts from Correspondence, Announcements, ^c. 415 



not think I should now speak so positively as I have done of the 

 specific distinctness of Galerida ahyssinica, isabellina, and areni- 

 cola. Not that I should unsay what I said, but I am not now 

 so clear as to the specific rank of races inhabiting areas so very 

 closely conterminous as those of the difi'erent districts of the 

 North-African Sahara." 



Kilmory, Lochgilp Head, N.B., August 18, 1861. 

 Mr. Editor, — I regret that I can give you no further par- 

 ticulars about the Gyrfalcon which I submitted to you in the 

 summer, further than that it was shot in the month of October 

 last, on the island of North Uist, belonging to my father ; the 

 keeper thinks it was about the ]Oth or 12th. I observe it is a 

 much darker specimen than that killed, not five miles from the 

 same place, in March of the previous year, 1859 *, That had all 

 the tail-feathers white, except the two centre ones, though the 

 shafts of the others are of a brown tinge — paler, I have little 

 doubt, from bleaching before found, as it was not secured on the 

 day it was shot. 



Believe me, yours truly, 



J. W. P. Orde. 



" Of the gigantic Struthionida, bones of many species occur all 

 over the islands of New Zealand. Feathers have also been found, 

 and fragments of egg-shells ; also one perfect egg, taken out of 

 the grave of a native in 1856. It is believed by many natives 

 that none of the species are entirely extinct. They give tolerably 

 minute descriptions of many species ; but it is impossible from 

 their descriptions to define the number formerly existing. Pro- 

 fessor Oweu has detected fourteen distinct species, from the 

 various bones which have from time to time been sent to England. 

 Wherever the bones of the larger species are found, there exists 

 about a quart of pebbles, used doubtless to assist digestion. I 

 can only give the native names and descriptions of a few extinct 

 species. All these birds were hunted by the natives for food. 



" Moa. The largest species stood 16 feet high. Colour red- 

 » See ' Ibis,' 1859, p. 469. 



