94 HUTTON, Land Birds of Nezv Zealand. [sth'Tan 



three genera of Meliphagidee, and perhaps Cyanorham phus . 

 There is, therefore, much to be said in favour of the opinion 

 held by Professor Huxley and Professor A. Newton, that New 

 Zealand should be kept as a distinct region. 

 ' There is a large body of evidence which goes to prove that 

 New Zealand was at some former time, probably in the early 

 Eocene period, connected by a land ridge with New Caledonia 

 and New Guinea, and there is ample evidence to show that the 

 Tasman Sea, which separates New Zealand from Australia, has 

 been in existence during the whole of the Tertiary era. It 

 seems evident that the ancestors of many of the New Zealand 

 birds must have come along this land ridge from New Guinea. 

 For example, Creadion and Hctcralocha are Starlings allied to 

 Calornis of India, the Malay Archipelago, New Guinea, and 

 Northern Australia. Turnagra is a much modified Thrush, 

 and its nearest ally is Myiophoncus of India and Java. 

 Sphencsacus is found only in southern Africa, with a near ally 

 in Madagascar. The Xenicida are related to the Pittas of 

 India, the Malay Archipelago, New Guinea, and Northern 

 Australia. Hcmiphaga has its nearest relatives in Carpophaga 

 of India, the Malay Archipelago, Polynesia, Northern Australia, 

 and New Caledonia. Nestor is a remarkable form, connecting 

 the Macaws of America with the true Parrots of Africa. But, 

 as it formerly occurred in Norfolk Island, we may assume that 

 it came to New Zealand from the north. Ocydromus also has 

 a close ally in Lord Howe Island ; and Hynienola'nius is related 

 to Salvadorina of the Moluccas. And we have further evidence 

 in the fact that at the present day our migratory land and shore 

 birds still come to us from the north. Also Glaucopsis, Urody- 

 namis, and Aptcryx show no connection with the birds of 

 Australia. 



On the other hand we know that Zostcrops cceridesccus crossed 

 over the Tasman Sea in 1856, for it appeared first in the centre 

 of New Zealand, and worked its way up north. And it is highly 

 probable that HcBmatopiis unicolor, Spatula rhy}ichotis, and the 

 ancestors of Casarca variegata did the same at some earlier 

 period, for they are not found in New Guinea nor in New 

 Caledonia. 



But in many cases it is dif^cult to decide from which direction 

 the first birds came. For there are two possible explanations 

 of the cause of the connection between Australian and New 

 Zealand birds. The ancestors of the present species may either 

 have crossed the Tasman Sea, and so have come to New Zealand 

 from the west ; or the relationship may be due to two branches 

 of emigrants from New Guinea southwards, one of which passed 

 into Australia, the other into New Zealand. In this category 

 we have Petroeca, Miro, P s end ogery gone, Rhipidura, Ccrthi- 

 parus, Mohiia, Pogonornis, Anthornis, Prosthemadera, Anthus, 

 Halcyon, Ninox, Sceloglaux, Cyanorhamphiis , Nesierax, Circus, 

 Coturnix, Hypotcenidia, Porzana, Porphyrio, Anas, Ncttion, and 



