On Birds from New Zealand and adjacent Islands. 513 



XXXVIII. — Oil the Birds procured by the Earl of Ran far/// 

 in New Zealand and the adjacent Islands. By W. R. 

 Ogilvie-Graxt. 



(Plate XII.) 



Towards the end of 1897 a communication was sent to the 

 Earl of Ranfurly, Governor of New Zealand, requesting him, 

 if possible, to obtain examples of birds from that Colony 

 and the adjacent islands for the British Museum (Natural 

 History). 



With this object in view, Lord Ranfurly ordered a large 

 number of jars of various sizes to be made, and forwarded 

 them filled with formaline solution to a few gentlemen who 

 had undertaken to assist him. On the 29th December, 1900, 

 Lord Ranfurly started in the Government steamer ' Hinemoa ' 

 for the Bluff, and visited the outlying islands — namely, the 

 Snares, Campbell, Auckland, Antipodes, and Bountv. 

 Capt. Hutton, the Curator of the Christchurch Museum, 

 Avas his guest, and, from his knowledge of natural history, 

 largely assisted in the formation of the collection made 

 during this trip. Dr. Collins, of Wellington, also accom- 

 panied the expedition, besides the members of Lord Ranfurly's 

 staff. At each island thorough search was made to procure 

 examples of all the species of birds, and these were imme- 

 diately treated with formaline after a sketch had been made 

 to shew the colour of the bill, eyes, and feet. The birds were 

 then packed in jars, and forwarded in consignments to the 

 British Museum. As this was a sea-trip, aquatic birds 

 naturally formed a large part of the collection, Cormorants 

 being especially numerous. One of these, obtained on the 

 Bounty Islands, proved to belong to a species hitherto un- 

 described, and was named Phalacrocorax ranfurlyi. Lord 

 Ranfurly had asked the captains of the various British 

 cruisers in New-Zealand waters to get any specimens ob- 

 tainable, and he had also written to the Resident of the Cook 

 and Harvey Islands with a view to obtaining the birds found 

 on those groups. Subsequently Commander J. P. Rolleston, 



^o2 



