The Zoologist— December, 1871. 2859 



plumage, the beak presents a maiked contrast to that of the kaka; 

 it is smoother, less curved, and much slighter, with a length of two 

 inches from the gape to the point : the upper mandible, at the 

 widest part, — that is in a line with the nostrils, — measures 5^ lines 

 in width, with a height of 7 lines. In flight and voice the two 

 species greatly differ. There is no doubt the kea breeds in the 

 crevices of its rocky haunts; the kaka occasionally rears its young 

 amongst rocks also. The eggs of the green parrot are as yet, we 

 believe, amongst the desiderata of the New Zealand ornithologists. 

 Although comparatively few people are acquainted with the bird, 

 it is not on that account to be considered rare : the reason it is so 

 little known is, the remoteness of its habitat from the centres of 

 population ; it certainly appears to be very local in its distribution ; 

 a straggler now and then has been observed far from its usual 

 haunts, for in one instance we have a note of its occurrence at the 

 Hororata, in the Malvern Hills, close to the edge of the Canterbury 

 Plains. Its beak can inflict a severe wound : a friend of ours, 

 incautiously handling a pet, had his thumb bitten through by its 

 powerful mandibles. 



Ornithological Notes from North Lincolnshire. 

 By John Cordeaux, Esq. 



(Continued from Zool. S. S. 2784.) 



September and October, 1871. 



Swift. — September 5th. Last seen ; two birds. 



Partridge. — September 5lh. The young birds are most back- 

 ward, and kw will be ready for shooting before October. This 

 morning a hen partridge fluttered up before my dog from some 

 vetches : on looking carefully about the spot I found the young 

 brood, evidently only a few hours from the shell. 



Meadow Pipit. — September 5th. The meadow pipits are now in 

 flocks of from thirty to fifty, old and young together. They resort 

 much to the Humber embankments and adjoining "fittie" lands: 

 before the end of the month they will have left the district, a few 

 birds remaining to winter on the higher lands. They return again 

 to their breeding-haunts in March. 



Corn Crake. — September 18th. Have only once this summer 

 heard the corn crake's call. They were, however, rather plentifully 



