134 Stuakt-Sutheklaxd, i?i>c/6- of Puysegur Point, N .Z. [,st'"oct. 



5. Blue Heron (Reef-Heron) {Demiegretta sacra), Alatuku. — A single 

 specimen, and a shy one at that. Easily distinguished by its mode 

 of flight. 



6. Australian Snipe {Gallinago australis). — Three only were seen 

 on one occasion. 



7. White-throated Cormorant (Shag; {Phalacrocorax hrevirostris). — 

 Generally admitted to be an endemic species. Very common here, 

 as many as 17 being counted perched on one tree just above the 

 water's edge. Said to breed in trees. Doubtful, but we'll see. 



8. Little Black Cormorant (Shag) (P. sulcirostris). — Odd specimens 

 only. I have seen a Skua Gull molest this bird on two occasions. 



9. White-faced Ternlet (Little Tern) {Sterna nereis), Tara-iti. — Five 

 small flocks only, usually of four or five birds, observed in three 

 months, always during heavy southerly or south-easterly gales. They 

 come and go with the wind. 



10. Pacific Gull {Gabianus pacificus), Karoro. — This common Gull 

 is very uncommon here. Never more than two or three to be seen 

 on any one day. Conditions are apparently unsuitable. 



11. Silver Gull {Larits novce-hollandice). — ^Moderately common and 

 very tame, flving within a few feet of one's head and resting on the 

 sandy beaches until approached within about 3 yards. 



12. Southern Skua (Megalestris antarctica), Hakoakoa. — Even the 

 Maori branded this bird as a robber. Only an occasional specimen 

 is seen, preying principally on the Silver Gulls. I take it that this 

 bird breeds in this district, as I have seen two of its eggs in a rough 

 collection here. 



This completes the list of the sea-birds. Taking now the land- 

 birds, we have, firstly : — 



13. The Mountain Parrot (Nestor notahilis), Kea. — Said to be very 

 numerous on the high lands at the head of the Inlet, but only one 

 has been observed near the lighthouse. Was captured easily and 

 caged, btit did not live long. 



14. Brown Parrot (A^. meridionalis), Kaka. — Only noted now on 

 rare occasions, and then only when the rata is in bloom, but it is heard 

 more than seen. When the mining and sawmilling industries were 

 in full swing, a few years back, the Kaka was very numerous, and was 

 shot for sport (?). As many as 40 dead ones have been counted left 

 on the beach after the sportsmen were satisfied. As Burns once 

 wrote — 



" Inhuman wretch, curse on thy barb'rous art, 

 And blasted be thy murder-aiming eye." 



15. The South Island Wood-Hen (Ocydromus australis), Weka. — 

 Only one, and but a fleeting glimpse, at Observation Point. Captain 

 Cook records having taken twenty pairs here. The introduction of 

 the weasel has doomed this peculiar species to early extinction. 



16. Paradise Duck or Sheldrake {Casarca variegata), Putangitangi. — 

 Four specimens only, three of them drakes. Sometimes the duck 

 and one drake are apart from the other drakes, but are usually within 

 calling distance. Constant shooting with a pea-rifle in Ihe hands 

 of a poor marksman has rendered them exceedingly wary. Tmjjossible 

 to get nearer than five or six chains now. 



17. Native Pigeon {Carpophaga novcB-zealandice), Kuku. — Our 

 commonest bird. One or two can usually be shot within ten minutes' 



