176 Zoological Society : — 



metatarsi, and a considerable collection of toe-bones, from which, 

 probably, other entire feet might be reconstructed, in addition to 

 the one of the left foot now submitted to the Society. There are 

 also the two femora and the two metatarsi of an immature bird, 

 apparently, by their proportions, from one individual, to which may 

 also belong the proximal end of a tibia, wanting the articular epi- 

 physis. The femora, as in the other birds, retain the two articular 

 ends, which are simply rougher than in the adult, having been 

 covered by a thicker cartilage, but are not developed upon distinct 

 osseous pieces, as in laud mammals. The proximal epiphysis is 

 wanting in both the immature metatarsi, exhibiting the separate ex- 

 panded ends of the three constituent bones terminating in the three 

 prominent trochleee below. The length of the femur of this young 

 bird is 11 inches, that of the metatarse 7\ inches. They already 

 present the characteristic robustness of the adult bird*. 



April 22, 1856.— Dr. Gray, F.R.S., in the Chair. 



On Two New Species of Birds (Nestor notabilis and 

 Spatula variegata) from the Collection of Walter 

 Mantell, Esq. By John Gould, F.R.S. 



Mr. Gould brought before the notice of the Meeting two species 

 of birds from the New Zealand group of islands which he conceived 

 to be new to science ; one, a magnificent Parrot, pertaining to the 

 genus Nestor ; the other, an equally interesting species of Duck, 

 belonging to the genus Spatula. Both these birds had been placed 

 in his hands for the purpose of describing, by Walter Mantell, Esq. 



The Nestor, which is called " Ked" by the natives, is by far the 

 largest of the three species of the form now known, and is certainly 

 one of the most interesting of the ornithological novelties lately 

 discovered. It not only differs from its near allies N. hypopolius 

 and N. productus in its greater size, but in the greater uniformity of 

 its colouring, in the yellow toothed markings of the inner webs of 

 the primaries and secondaries, and in the orange toothed markings 

 of the inner webs of the tail-feathers ; the yellow colouring of the 

 under mandible is another of the peculiarities by which it may be 

 distinguished. 



Mr. Mantell informed Mr. Gould that he first heard of the exist- 

 ence of the Ked about eight years ago from some old natives whom 

 he was questioning as to the birds of the Middle Island. They said 

 the Ked somewhat resembled the Kdka (Nestor hypopolius), but 

 that, unlike that bird, it was green, and added, that it used formerly 

 to come to the coast in severe winters, but that they had not seen it 

 lately. Mr. Mantell has only obtained the two specimens exhibited 

 of this fine bird ; they were shot in the Murihiku country, and for 

 one of them he was indebted to Mr. John Lemon of Murihiku. 



The following is a description of this new species, for which Mr. 

 Gould proposes the name of 



* This paper will appear in the Transactions of the Society, illustrated with 

 figures of the bones. 



