2l6 Mathews, Nature of New Zealand Ajiifanna. [,sf April 



flight, as Porphyrio reached the Chatham Islands, where it still 

 lives, and is common throughout New Zealand. It is as yet only 

 sub-specifically changed from the Austrahan bird, and it may be 

 noted that probably two entrances into Australia also took place, 

 as Porphyrio bellus, the Western Austrahan form, is quite 

 specifically distinct, and the whole family shows httle distinction 

 over wide areas. Thus the true Gallinules and Coots have 

 colonized the whole of Australia and Tasmania without showing 

 much individuahty, but failed to reach New Zealand as settlers, 

 because the Coot has been noted in New Zealand as a rare 

 straggler. The Wood-Hens in New Zealand show local variation, 

 as yet not at all well understood, three species being at present 

 admitted. 



On each point yet dealt with in a few hues a long essay could 

 have been easily prepared, and this sentence apphes well to the 

 Grebes. Two species are residents — one, the great Crested Grebe 

 of British authors, with a world-wide distribution, showing only 

 sub-specific characters, yet peculiarly a sedentary form ; the 

 other, the Dabchick [Poliocephalus rufopedus), specifically 

 separable from the Australian species of Poliocephalus, only the 

 two species being contained in the genus. Also, in Australia is 

 resident the European Dabchick referred to the genus Tachyhaptus, 

 and if all are lumped in the one genus Poliocephalus must be 

 used as the genus name. It is a curious feature that the European 

 Dabchick should have colonized Australia while the species did 

 not alter specifically, and that a different species of the same or 

 an alhed group should co-exist with differences in the near-by 

 countries of Austraha and New Zealand. 



We now come to the Kiwis {Apteryx), the New Zealand piece de 

 resistance — ^probably the best written-out birds we have, but our 

 knowledge is still meagre. They are certainly no close relations 

 of the Ratite birds as commonly understood, but we consider 

 them more nearly related to the Rails. As to the Moas, their 

 relationships are so obscure, notwithstanding the immense 

 quantity of osteological material available, as to suggest the 

 impracticabihty of laying much stress upon " deep-seated " 

 features. It has been suggested that they are alhed to the Kiwi, 

 but this seems a very debatable matter. It is the presence of 

 these two groups which have made the New Zealand Ornis so 

 well investigated and so much argued, but the results do not 

 seem comparable to the premises and surmises. 



A Quail {Cotnrnix novcB-zealandice) has recently become extinct, 

 and it was very closely related to the Australian form, very little 

 difference even as to coloration being noted. It is suggested that 

 it was a comparatively recent immigrant, and had scarcely 

 established itself as a factor in the avifauna when the new con- 

 ditions arose which decided its extermination. 



Two species of Pigeon are admitted — Hemiphaga novcB-seelandicB 

 and chathamensi, the latter belonging to the Chatham Islands. 

 It is pecuhar that the only other species referable to the genus 



