Vol. XX. -j >r.\THEWs, Nature of New Zealand Ainfauna. 2iy 



Hemiphaga was a native of Norfolk Island, where it is now extinct. 

 These are Fruit-Pigeons whose relations are all northward, and 

 it is remarkable that the Chatham Island form has become more 

 different from the New Zealand bird than the Norfolk Island form 

 was. This fact has been adduced in favour of a Norfolk Island- 

 New Zealand connection, but is valueless in that connection. 



Neozelanic Ducks, again, show some remarkable items, as, out 

 of twelve species admitted, four are wanderers from AustraUa, 

 two are species common to Australia, while the other six care 

 endemic and four belong to endemic genera. Such localization 

 is quite as notable in this group as some of the better-known 

 pecuharities of the Ornis. Thus, the Brown Duck [Elasmonetta 

 chlorotis) appears to be the mainland representative of the Auck- 

 land Islands Duck {Nesonetta aucklandica), which is well known 

 as being a flightless Duck, which is the true Anas group. The 

 Mountain Duck {Hymenolaimus malacorhynchus) is pecuhar, 

 inasmuch as superficially it shows some features commonly 

 regarded as peculiar to the Diving Ducks, whereas it is a modified 

 surface-feeding Duck. Moreover, in New Zealand hves a Diving 

 Duck referable to the typical genus Fitligida — F. novce-seelandicB — 

 which is unrepresented in Australia ; and then at the Auckland 

 Islands lives a Merganser, Fromergus australis, whose nearest 

 relative hves north of the equator. This constitutes an extra- 

 ordinary anomaly, of which no reasonable explanation has yet 

 been provided. The Paradise Duck [Casarca variegata), though 

 referable to the same genus as the Mountain Duck of Austraha 

 {Casarca tadornoides), shows very different specific character, the 

 sexual variation in coloration being very marked and well known. 



As regards Herons and Bitterns, all the breeding species, five 

 in number, are regarded as only sub-species of Austrahan (and 

 extra-limital) species. 



The Harrier and the Morepork (Owl) of New Zealand are well 

 spread all over Australia, and only a sub-specific difference is 

 allowed, but there is also the Quail-Hawk and the Laughing Owl, 

 which constitute endemic genera, Nesierax and Sceloglaux. The 

 former genus may contain two species, but at present this is not 

 really estabHshed, while its nearest relative is supposed to be the 

 Austrahan genus leracidea. As to the relationships of Sceloglaux, 

 Uttle is known, the species being almost extinct and always 

 rare. 



There are not many Parrots, but there is lots of interest in 

 those. There is, for instance, the Owl-Parrot, or Kakapo. 

 This is another almost flightless New Zealand form about which 

 a lot has been written,' and in this case it seems to have been 

 concluded that the novel features were purely due to disuse, but 

 that the ancestors must have been somewhat primitive Parrots. 

 Our own view is that it is a not very distant relative of the Aus- 

 tralian Pezoporus, and that the forefathers of both came from 

 the same stock. One genus of Broad-tailed Parrakeets is repre- 

 sented by four distinct species, all of the same group, and different 



