88 Transactions. 



brought by the " Hinemoa,' is undoubtedly the same as our Cy. novae- 

 zealandiae, which enjoys a wide geographical range." Then on p. 87 he 

 added, under " Cy. cyanurus " : " Mr. Ernest Bell, of Wellington, had a 

 tame one (obtained at Curtis 'Island, Kermadec Group)." I do not intend 

 to discuss the preceding contradictory statements, but state the facts, 

 which are simple : The Meyer Island bird, which is the true Cy. cyanurus 

 of Salvadori, is a subspecies of G. novaezealandiae which is distinguished by 

 its larger size and the blue tinge on the central tail-feathers. It seems 

 certain that the Macauley Island bird agrees, and the reference of the 

 Curtis Island specimen to Cy. cyanurus points to all the Kermadec Group 

 birds being different from the mainland New Zealand Cy. novaezeala-ndiae. 

 Whether the Macauley Island birds are separable from the Meyer Island 

 form can only be determined by the examination of series from each 

 locality. In the meanwhile the only course possible is to refer all the 

 Kermadec bh*ds to C n. cyanurus Salvadori. 



Sauropatis sanctus vagans (Lesson). 



Alcedo vagans Lesson, Voy. de la " Coquille," Zool., vol. 1, p. 694, 

 1830 : Bay of l.slands, N.Z. Halcyon vagans Cheeseman, loc. cit., 

 p. 218 ; BuUer, loc. cit., p. 97. 

 Fairly common all over Sunday Island. This subspecies ranges over 

 New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island, and Sunday Island, Ker- 

 madecs. Whether the island forms are separable from the mainland New 

 Zealand birds can only be decided by examination of series. Tristram 

 {Ibis, 1885, p. 49) described the Norfolk Island bird as Halcyon norfolkiensis, 

 but that form has been more recently merged. I shall be surprised if the 

 birds later prove distinct, as I have concluded that they are quite recent 

 immigrants to these island groups. In support of this view I would quote 

 the known history of this bird on Lord Howe Island. In Hill's account 

 of the " Birds of Lord Howe Island," p. 54, 1869, there is catalogued 

 ^' Halcyon sp., blue kingfisher ; no specimen ; only one seen " : whilst in 

 the Records Austr. Mus., vol. 2, p. 89, 1889, we read, " We were told, a 

 comparatively recent addition to the avifauna of the island " ; and now, 

 '■ This bird is found in large numbers," though " it is therefore generally 

 shot when it approaches too close to the fowlyard " (Hull, Proc. Linn. Soc. 

 N.S.W., vol. 34, p. 677, 1910). Thus in the short space of forty years it 

 has become a common bird, in spite of persecution. 



Urodynamis taitensis (Sparrman). 



Cuculus taitensis Sparrman, Museum Carlson, fasc. ii. No. 32, 1787 : 

 Tahiti. Eudynamis taitensis Cheeseman, loc. cit., p. 218. Uro- 

 dynamis taitensis Buller, loc. cit., p. 98. 

 This bird was more commonly heard than seen, but was noted in every 

 month of the time I was on the island. It was more numerous in October 

 than in any other month. 



Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae (Gmelin) subsp. ? 



Merofs novaeseelandiae Gmelin, Syst. Nat., p. 464, 1788 : Queen 

 Charlotte's Sound, South Island, N.Z. Prosthetnadera novae- 

 zealandiae Cheeseman, loc. cit., p. 218 ; Buller, loc. cit., p. 144. 

 This bird was abundant, but as no series was collected I do not know 

 whether it was subspec fically separable from mainland forms. As it had 

 lost its voice, it seems certain that it would be. 



