T. W. KiEK. — Brief Ornithological Notes. 181 



Art. XIII. —Brief Ornithological Notes. 

 By T. W. Kirk, F.L.S. 



[Read before the Wellmgton Philosophical Society, 26th July, 1893.'] 



Carpophaga novae-zealandiae (Wood-pigeon). 



Quite a number of instances of abnormal colouring in tbis 

 bandsome species have been recorded, but so far only two pure 

 albinos. The first was exhibited by myself before a meeting 

 of this society in 1879, and a description appears in the 

 Triinsactions of that year. The specimeii is now in the 

 mounted collection in the Colonial Museum, and is the one 

 referred to in the second edition of the " History of the Birds 

 of New Zealand." 



The second was noted last year by the author of the work 

 just mentioned. Sir W. Buller, and is preserved in Mr. Drew's 

 museum at Wanganui. 



I have now to exhibit a mounted specimen obtained three 

 weeks ago in the Wairarapa. It will be seen that, though 

 somewhat damaged and badly stained with blood, the whole 

 plumage, even to the shafts of the feathers, is pure white. 



Prosthemadera novae-zealandiae (Tui — Parson Bird), 



There is in the Museum a specimen of this bird showing 

 a most remarkable variation from the type. The general 

 plumage is pure white, with a black band on the lores, fore- 

 head, and on each side of the neck. The wings are pure 

 white, except the outer secondaries and the primary coverts, 

 which are black. 



I recently had an opportunity of examining a skin, found 

 on the hills at Wai-nui-o-mata, which was in general appear- 

 ance even more remarkable. The head, neck, and body were 

 quite white ; the tail, except the middle feathers, black, with 

 a broad terminal band of white, as in the Huia {Heteralocha 

 acutirostris), the middle tail-feathers white. The wings were 

 smoky-black above, with a few cream-coloured feathers on the 

 underside. Unfortunately the specimen was in such a con- 

 dition when found that preservation was quite out of the 

 question. 



Nycticorax caledonicus (Nankeen— Night Heron). 



Some time ago I mentioned having seen an example of 

 this species on the east coast of the Wellington Province, 

 near the Pahau Eiver. Last Christmas I again saw this bird, 

 but a few miles further north, and was informed that it had 

 several times been observed, but always alone. 



