100 Mr. J. C. McLean on the Interbreeding of 



60. Gallinago ccelestis. 



The Common Snipe was plentiful in the marshes near 

 Tebessa. 



61. Gallinago gallinula. 



The Jack Snipe I also shot near Tebessa. 



62. TOTANUS OCHROPUS. 



I shot a Green Sandpiper in the mountain-gorge at Refou, 

 near Tamerza. 



VI. — On the Interbreeding of E-hipidura fuliginosa with 

 R. flabellifera. By J. C. McLean. 



Scattered through the volumes of the New Zealand Institute 

 are several references to the occurrence of the Black Fantail 

 in the North Island of the colony, and in this journal (Ibis, 

 1889, p. 297) Mr. T. W. Kirk has recorded the nesting of a 

 pair of this species in the Manawatu district. And now I 

 have the pleasure, not only of recording its occurrence in this 

 island, but also of its interbreeding, in the Poverty Bay dis- 

 trict, with a specimen o^ Rh/pidura flabellifera. 



In the first place let me quote a note written on April 17, 

 1892: — ''While leading my horse down a steep hill this 

 morning, I noticed a dark Fantail fly past towards a small 

 clump of scrub, which it entered. Proceeding down the spur 

 I came to the clump, where the bird was found flitting about 

 in the lower branches. I saw at once that it was Rhipidura 

 fuliginosa ; and, while observing it, the bird settled within 

 three feet of me, when I saw the white ear-spots. These, 

 however, were not very conspicuous.'" 



I did not observe the bird for any length of time, but went 

 to obtain a gun and so complete my identification. In twenty 

 minutes we were back, but a search for fully an hour in the 

 vicinity failed to discover the bird, and, as the place was very 

 rough with fern and manuka, I reluctantly turned towards 

 home. 



After a lapse of seventeen months I again saw, on Sep- 

 tember 7, 1893, what was undoubtedly the same bird. I was 



