Birds of Neiv Zealand. 45 



4. Sterna Antarctica, Forst. 

 Common Tern ; native name " Tara." 



The local name of this bird, in the neighbourhood of Cape 

 Kidnappers, is " The Plough Bird," or " Plough Boy,^^ given 

 on account of its habit of following the farmer's plough so 

 persistently for the purpose of obtaining the grubs &c. thus 

 exposed. 



The Kea has acquired the taste for mutton, attacking and 

 killing the sheep ; the Tara has learned to look to the farmer 

 for assistance in providing food ; it yet remains to be seen 

 how far civilized tastes will be adopted by New-Zealand 

 birds, many of which show a decided inclination to adapt 

 themselves to circumstances, although, unfortunately, many 

 others are fast disappearing. 



5. Nestor meridionalis, Gmel. 

 Brown Parrot; native name " Kaka." 



The author of the ' History of the Birds of New Zealand ' 

 has described several varieties of this bird ; one gorgeously 

 coloured specimen he formerly considered a distinct species, 

 and differentiated it with the title of N. sitperbus. Further 

 examination, however, convinced him that it was only a 

 variety of the Kaka, and he accordingly sank the specific 

 name. In 1884 I recorded the capture of an almost identical 

 specimen at Waikanae, and now another, hardly to be dis- 

 tinguished, is to be seen on view in the shop of Mr. Leardet, 

 taxidermist. I am informed that this latest addition to the 

 long list of New-Zealand l)irds presenting abnormal colouring 

 was shot in the Kaikoura mountains. 



6. LOBIVANELLUS PERSONATUS. 



Several instances are mentioned in the ' Transactions of 

 the New Zealand Institute ' of the discovery of Australian 

 birds on the shores of these islands, viz. : — 



Australian Tree Swallow [Hirundo nigricans ,N\q\\\.)* . 



Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia, Gould), by Dr. Bullerf. 



* Trans. N.Z. lust. vol. xi. p. 360. t Ibid. ix. p. 337. 



