116 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Mr. A. J. Hewett exhibited and made remarks on a common web or 
community of cocoons and the moths (genus Anaphe?) escaped therefrom, 
said to have been brought from Old Calabar. 
Some Moa’s bones,—viz., a tibia and tarsus of a specimen of Dinornis 
maaximus,—obtained four feet from the surface at Omaru, New Zealand, 
were shown on behalf of Mr. James Forsyth. 
A paper was read “ On the Birds and Mammals introduced into New 
Zealand,” by H. M. Brewer, Hon. Sec. Wanganui Acclim. Soc., New 
Zealand. The author refers to Dr, Buller’s volume on the New Zealand 
Avifauna as not written too soon, for the rapid disappearance of many highly 
interesting forms is already to be deplored—to wit, the Kakapo (Stringops 
habroptilus), New Zealand Quail (Cotwrnix Nove-Zealandia), Bell Bird 
(Anthornis melanura), &e. But to import English birds to employ their 
places is not without its difficulties. Native enemies are to be contended 
with; for example, the New Zealand Owl (Ninow Nove-Zealandia), 
wages destructive warfare against the smaller finches and song birds. 
Of one hundred Diamond Sparrows liberated on the island of Kawan, 
by Sir George Grey, few escaped the ravages of this little Owl; and 
on the Hon. Mr. Stafford’s grounds at Wellington a number of insectivorous 
birds being let loose soon attracted a host of these Owls, to the serious 
discomfiture of the former. Finches of various sorts have nevertheless 
succeeded, and undoubtedly increased to such an extent that there is 
now no danger of their extermination. The Sky Lark may even be 
found enlivening some districts with its cheerful varied music. Of other 
species acclimatised, may be mentioned the Starling, Thrush, Blackbird, 
Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, House and Hedge Sparrow, Indian 
Minah, Ring Dove, Golden Plover, Jay, Australian and Tasmanian Magpies, 
Muscovy Duck, Black and White Swans, Californian, Australian and 
Madagascar Quails, Partridges, Pintail Grouse, and Pheasants of various 
sorts, &c. The Pheasant now abounds, and even shooting licenses are 
granted. Fifteen birds were turned out in the Wanganui district in 1866; 
these have now spread all over the province, even far inland. ‘Two friends 
of the author bagged seventy in one day, and this by plain open shooting. 
The Chinese Pheasant (P. torguatus) is most numerous, although the 
common sort (P. colchicus) is increasing. It is a singular circumstance 
that on the occurrence of a tremor of the ground from an earthquake, the 
cock Pheasants set up a continuous crow either of fear or defiance. In the 
North Island the Partridge (Perdix cinerea) thrives less vigorously than in 
the South Island; Canterbury, especially, with its cereal crops, affording 
a better feeding and breeding ground. The Red-legged Partridge (Caccabis 
rufa) is plentiful in the Rangiteiki district of the Wellington Province, but 
appears to remain where first located. Blackbirds and Thrushes and the 
Indian Mynah (Acridotheris ginginianus ?) are seen in large numbers in the 
