Zoological Society. 235 



parisou with the numerous remains which have been sent home from 

 New Zealand. 



Upon a cursory view of this bird it might be mistaken for a gigantic 

 kind of Porphyrio, but on an examination of its structure it will be 

 found to be genericallv distinct. It is allied to Porjihyrio in the 

 form of its bill and in its general colouring, and to Tribonyx in the 

 structure of its feet, while in the feebleness of its wings and the struc- 

 ture of its tail it differs from both. 



From personal observation of the habits of Tribonyx and Por- 

 phyria, I may venture to affirm that the habits and ceconomv of the 

 present bird more closely resemble those of the former than those 

 of the latter ; tbat it is doubtless of a recluse and extremely shy 

 disposition ; that being deprived, by the feeble structure of its wing, 

 of the power of flight, it is compelled to depend upon its swiftness of 

 foot for the means of evading its natural enemies ; and that, as is the 

 case with Tribonyx, a person may be in its vicinity for weeks without 

 ever catching a glimpse of it. 



From the thickness of its plumage and the great length of its 

 back-feathers, we may infer that it affects low and humid situations, 

 marshes, the banks of rivers, and the coverts of dripping ferns, so 

 abundant in its native country : like Porphyrio, it doubtless enjovs 

 the power of swimming, but would seem, from the structure of its 

 legs, to be more terrestrial in its habits than the members of that 

 genus. 



I have carefully compared the bill of this example with that figured 

 by Professor Owen under the name of Xotomis Muntelli, and have 

 little doubt that they are referable to one and the same species ; and 

 as we are now in possession of materials whence to obtain complete 

 generic characters, I hasten to give the following details, in addition 

 to those supplied by Professor Owen. 



Bill somew hat shorter than the head ; greatly compressed on 

 the sides, both mandibles being much deeper than broad ; tomia 

 sharp, curving downwards, inclining inwards aud slightly serrated ; 

 culmen elevated, much arched and rising on the forehead to a line 

 with the posterior angle of the eye ; nostrils rouud, and placed in a 

 depression near the base of the bill ; wings very short, rounded, and 

 slightly concave ; primaries soft and yielding ; the first short ; third, 

 fourth, fifth, sixth aud seventh equal and the longest ; tail-feathers 

 soft, yielding, and loose in texture ; tarsi powerful, longer than the 

 toes, almost cylindrical ; very broad anteriorly ; defended in front 

 and on either side posteriorly by broad and distinct scutellse ; the 

 spaces between the scutellae reticulated ; anterior toes large and strong, 

 armed with powerful hooked nails, and strongly scutellated on their 

 upper surface ; hind-toe short, strong, placed somewhat high on the 

 tarsus, and armed with a blunt hooked nail. 



Head, neck, breast, upper part of the abdomen and flanks purplish 

 blue ; back, rump, upper tail-coverts, lesser wing-coverts and tertiaries 

 dark olive-green, tipped with verditer-green ; at the nape of the neck 

 a band of rich blue separating the purplish blue of the neck from the 

 green of the body ; wings rich deep bine, the greater coverts tipped 



