Mr. W. Buller on New-Zealand Birds. 37 



As it was now getting dark, and the wind rising fast, I thought 

 it best to lose no time in getting on board again ; for though I 

 was very sorry to leave the place without visiting all the islands 

 of the group, yet I did not wish to be left there a month or 

 more, and the weather looked so threatening that Capt. Bell 

 was very unwilling to remain longer. We had much difficulty 

 in getting into the boat, owing to the increasing swell, and 

 after arriving on board ship were obliged to take leave of the 

 people and put to sea without loss of time. Before long it was 

 blowing a gale of wind from the south-east, and the weather con- 

 tinued so bad for five weeks that no boat could possibly have 

 landed ; so I was obliged to content myself with what I had 

 already seen, and leave a more thorough examination of the 

 group to some future observer. 



III. — On some New Species of New -Zealand Bii^ds. 

 By Walter Buller, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S., &c. 



Fam. CERTHlIDiE. 



1. Xenicus haasti, sp. nov. 



Upper surface pale olivaceous-brown, darkest on the crown ; 

 tinged on the back and on the outer margin of the quills with 

 olivaceous-green ; wing-coverts black, forming a conspicuous 

 triangular spot; under parts pale fulvous; bill and feet dark 

 brown ; irides yellow. 



Length 3'5 in.; wing from flexure 2; tail "75; tarsus 1; 

 middle toe and claw 1 ; hind toe and claw 1 ; bill, along the 

 ridge '375, along the edge of lower mandible '625. 



In structure this species approaches X. longipes ; but the claw 

 of the hind toe is more strongly developed, exceeding the toe in 

 length. It is an inhabitant of the Alpine heights of the South 

 Island ; and I have named it in honour of its discoverer, 

 Dr. Julius Haast, F.R.S., who forwarded me specimens for 

 examination. 



J)r. Hector found it frequenting the stunted vegetation grow- 

 ing among the loose mountain debris in the interior of the Otago 

 Province; and Mr. Buchanan, the artist to the Geological Sur- 

 vey, met with it on the Black Peak, at an elevation of 8000 



