190 Transactions.—Zoology. 



Art. XX. — Notes on Sceloglaux albifacies, the Laughing Oicl 

 of New Zealand. 



By E. I. KixGSLEY. 



[Read before the Xclson Philosophical Society, 1st September, 1800. 



The specimen of this rare New Zealand bird now exhibited 

 is the first one, as far as I have been able to learn, that has 

 ever been seen or captured in this neighbourhood. 



It belongs to a species endemic to New Zealand, and is the 

 sole representative of its genus ; and also, unfortunately, it is 

 amongst the number of those interesting forms of life which 

 from a variety of causes appear to be fast approaching ex- 

 tinction. There is no doubt that one chief factor in their dis- 

 apjDearanco is the increasing scarcity of their natural food. 

 This, as well as a change in the condition of their environ- 

 ment, the outcome of civilization, would of necessity cause 

 their numbers to diminish. 



The bird in question was captured in the Tadmor Valley, in 

 this province, by a man who stated that he saw it walking on 

 au unfrequented bush-road. It did not appear shy, but was 

 easily captured alive, and brought into town to Jacobs, our 

 local taxidermist, who, after keeping it alive a short time, 

 during which period it freely took food from the hand, de- 

 stroyed it in order to secure the skin for preserving, as there 

 was a danger of the feathers being more or less injured in con- 

 finement. Jacobs unfortunately omitted to notice the sex : I 

 am therefore at present unable to state whether it is male or 

 female, although I am inclined to think it is a male. 



From comparison with the description given in Buller"s 

 new book on New Zealand birds I find some slight differences, 

 which I think it well to mention. 



The whole of the forehead does not appear to bo covered 

 with the greyish- white feathers, but only the front margin ; 

 the white only extends to the upper part of the sides of the 

 neck, and not the whole as described by Buller. The remain- 

 ing portion of the forehead, upper parts, crowii, nape, and 

 lower part of sides of neck are dark-brown — the broad yel- 

 lowish-brown ma,rgiu being only on the sides of the feathers, 

 tlie black-brown streak being continued through to the tip. 

 The feathers on the lower 'part of the fore-neck and breast 

 are not narrowly but broadly margined with light -fulvous or 

 yellowish-brown. The claws are not black, but of a dark 

 horn-colour. 



I notice in vol. xviii. of the "Transactions" that Mr. A. 

 Eeischck states he " never saw this bird in the North Island, 



