214 Mathews, Nature of Neiv Zealand Avifauna. [ist^^Aprii 



however, shows more affinity to the Marsh Terns than to the 

 normal Sea Terns. The three Gulls, again, show a pecuUar state 

 of endemism, the Red-billed Gull being only sub-specifically 

 separable from the Austrahan Gull, while the Black-billed Gull 

 is a distinct evolution, quite pecuhar to New Zealand, and un- 

 represented in Australia. The common Black-billed is a Sub- 

 antarctic species, very different from the Australian Pacific Gull, 

 yet scarcely distinguishable from the South American Gull. In 

 the Subantarctic group of islands two other Subantarctic forms 

 breed — the Subantarctic Tern and the Great Skua. The range 

 of these Subantarctic species is very pecuhar, breeding at the 

 Falkland Islands or to the south thereof, Subantarctic New 

 Zealand islands, then altogether absent from Austraha, recurring 

 at the Kerguelen Group and thereabouts as breeding species, the 

 variation during the extent of this range being only sub-specific. 

 Among the Snipe, Sandpipers, and Plovers we find even more 

 of interest than we have yet treated of. Twenty-nine species are 

 admitted, of which fourteen have as yet occurred orly once or 

 twice ; these were stragglers from Australia or wanderers from 

 the north, arriving through association with the migrating Godwits, 

 which are regular winter visitors. As well-established visitors 

 also are included the Knot, Sharp-tailed Stint, Curlew, Turnstone, 

 and Lesser Golden Plover^ — all well-known Austrahan migrants. 

 Two of the rarest stragglers, the American Godwit and the Grey 

 Phalarope, have not as yet been noted in Australia. It is when 

 we deal with the residents that we get excited, as, though we have 

 two Snipe visiting Austraha, we have no resident species ; yet 

 from the Subantarctic group of New Zealand islands we find a 

 semi-Woodcock [Canocorypha aucklandica), with nd near relation 

 save a huge South American bird, and which has been well 

 described as a " living fossil," and approaching the most primitive 

 idea of the Snipe and Woodcock series of birds. Next we find 

 two Stilts — the one only sub-specificalty distinct from the Aus- 

 trahan Stilt, the other a fixed melanistic form, apparently hke 

 the Shag {Hypoleuciis chakonotits) previously referred to. Of 

 course, we have both a Pied and Black Oyster-catcher, which we 

 also get in Australia and elsewhere. Then we have only four 

 Plovers, but the quality quite suffices for lack of quantity. 

 Probably the Wrybill alone would answer that query, but the 

 New Zealand Dottrel is a big development of the Sand-Plover 

 species elsewhere met with at only about half its size. The 

 Double -banded Dottrel also occurs in Australia, with a problem 

 hanging to it. It is a common breeder throughout New Zealand, 

 and is resident, yet its nest has not been found in Austraha, 

 though recorded in the far West. It has been suggested that 

 its presence in Australia can be accounted for by regarding it as 

 a migrant from New Zealand, but we cannot see that we are 

 justified in considering the wandering of a New Zealand bird to 

 North-West Austraha. To complete the quartet is the Shore- 

 Plover, a peculiar long-billed form, which has apparently evolved 



