NOTES AND EEFEEENCES. 



5. NiNOX ALBAKiA, sj>. nov. Specimens of a small Ninox from Lord Howe 

 Island differ considerably from either of the continental forms N. 

 MACULATA Or N. BOOBOOK, and also from N. nov^-zealandi^, to which 

 latter it is most closely allied ; this species, which I propose to 

 distinguish under the nams of Ninox albaria, may be briefly 

 described: — The face, lores, forehead, chin, and upper part of the 

 throat in some specimens, snow-white; the general colour of the 

 plumage rich fawn or rusty -brown, deeper in tint on the sides of the 

 chest and under surface and upper tail-coverts ; each feather of the 

 chest has two distinct roundish spots of white which elongate 

 transversly and form two detached bars on the breast but becom e 

 confluent on the flanks, the feathers of the under tail-coverts are 

 white with a terminal bar and centre shaft-spot of rufous -brown ; 

 abdomen, legs and thighs rufous-brown, paler on the inner parts ; no 

 spots on the head, or hind neck ; the mantle and interscapular region, 

 without spots in some but sparingly spotted with white on the 

 concealed parts of the feathers in other individuals. Scapulars with 

 two broken bands of white which sometimes take the form of oval spots 

 on either side of the shafts of the feathers. Wings with seven to 

 eight dull ashy bands. Centre two tail feathers without any bands, 

 the others with about ten oblique narrow ashy bauds on the inner 

 webs only, except the outer feathers on either side, where they are 

 just distinguishable ; a few spots of white on the concealed portions 

 of the rump and upper tail-coverts. Bill black, feet dull yellowish- 

 brown ; bristles brown. Length 12 inches ; wing, 8 inches ; tail, 6 

 inches; tarsus, 1 '7 inch ; bill from forehead 1' inch. Some of the 

 New Zealand specimens come very close to the Lord Howe Island 

 birds, but lack the white face, lores, and chin. Should they eventually 

 prove to be indentical, this will form an interesting link, connecting 

 the avifauna of the two Islands. The Norfolk Island bird is said to 

 be Ninox boobook, but it is more likely to prove to be Ninox nov^i;- 

 ZEALANDI.E, Or pcfhaps the present species. 



7. Halcyon norfolkiensis, Tristam, Ibis, Vol. III., Fifth Series, p, 48, 

 1885 = Halcyon vagans, Lesson, Buller's Birds of New Zealand, 

 p. 69. These birds are apparently identical, I can see no difference 

 between the Norfolk Island specimens and those from Lord Howe 

 Island, which latter are undoubtedly Halcyon vagans and similar 

 to the New Zealand form of that species. 



