Birds. 7469 



leaves, the decomposition and fermentation of which, at the expiration 



of one year, hatches the egg. Probably this report is mere fiction, 



and the bird always covers its egg on leaving the nest. This species 



only lays one egg. Its legs are very powerful, sufEciciently so to break 



the leg of a dog. The egg is white and three inches in length. 



Little Apteryx (Kiwi Hoihoi). Smaller than the preceding. My 



dogs have caught this bird. Lays two eggs. Habits similar to the 



preceding. 



GRALLATORES. 



Fam. Charadrid^. 



Redwinged Plover (Tuturiwatu), Charadriiis xanlhocheilus. Gray. 

 Has a broad red band on the breast. Beak tawny, black tip. Re- 

 sembles the English ringed plover. 



Blackringed Plover (Tuturiwatu), Charadrius atricinctus. Has, I 

 beUeve, hitherto been called C. torquatuhis, a name equally applicable 

 to the preceding species. Smaller than the preceding. One narrow 

 black band on the breast. Beak black, twice as long as the preceding 

 species. 



Spotted Plover (Pohoera), Charadrius obscurus, Latham. Closely 

 allied to the English turnstone. 



Dotterell (Pohoera), Charadrius frontalis (?), Lesson. Identical with 

 the English species (?). Never seen inland. 



Black Oystercatcher (Torea-nui), Hsematopus niger. Jet-black. 

 Beak and legs red. Rather scarce. 



Pied Oystercatcher (Torea-noi), Hsematopus picatus, Vigors. Both 

 these species are much smaller than the English, whicli they resemble 

 in habits. 



Fam. ARDEID.E. 



. White Heron (Koutuku), Ardea alba. A beautiful snow-white bird. 

 Very abundant in the island of Ruapuke ; scarcer in northern parts. 

 Builds in high trees. Gregarious. 



Blue Heron (Matuku-wai-tai), Ardea cinerea. Scarce. Only seen 

 among rocks on the coast. 



Bittern (Matuku hurepo), Botaurus melanotus, Cuvier. 



Little Bittern F A missionary, a good naturalist, once assured me 

 he shot a very diminutive bittern, resembling our own little bittern, 

 but in travelling he lost the skin. I have no knowledge of such a 

 bird. 



Spoonbill (Koutuku ngutu-papa), Ardea latirostrura. Very scarce. 

 I only know of a single specimen shot at " Caslle Point " on the east 

 coast of the North Island. 



