362 DR. SCLATER ON THE STRUTHIOUS BIRDS 



province of Nelson in the same island. In fact, the species is so closely allied to 

 the Apteryx mantelli as to render it very desirable that further examples of it should 

 be obtained, and a rigid comparison instituted between the two. For the present, how- 

 ever, we must regard this form of Apteryx as belonging to the southern portion of the 

 Middle Island. 



2. Apteryx owenii. 



Apteryx owenii, Gould, P. Z. S. 184?, p. 94 j Birds of Australia, vi. pi. 3. 



Owen's Apteryx, which is readily distinguished from the preceding species and 

 A. mantelli by its smaller size, transversely barred plumage and slender bill, was first 

 described by Mr. Gould in 1847, from an example procured by Mr. F. Strange, and 

 "believed to have been obtained from the South Island." Since that period other 

 specimens have been received in this country, which have sufficed to establish the 

 species ; and, from the information obtained by Dr. von Hochstetter, there is no doubt 

 of this being the common Apteryx of the northern portion of the Middle Island. 



" In the spurs of the Southern Alps on Cook's Strait, in the province of Nelson," 

 says Dr. von Hochstetter, "that is, in the higher wooded mountain-valleys of the 

 Wairau chain, as also westwards of Blind Bay, in the wooded mountains between the 

 Motucka and Aorere valleys. Kiwis of this species are still found in great numbers. 

 During my stay in the province of Nelson I had myself two living examples (male and 

 female) of this species. They were procured by some natives, whom I sent out for 

 this purpose, in the upper wooded valleys of the river State, a confluent of the Aorere, 

 in a country elevated from 2000 to 3000 feet above the sea-level. It appears that this 

 Apteryx still lives very numerously and widely spread in the extended southern con- 

 tinuations of the Alps." 



.3. Apteryx mantelli. 



Apteryx australis, Gould, Birds of Australia, xi. pi. 2. 

 Apteryx mantelli, Bartlett, P. Z. S. 1847, p. 9-5. 



The characters which distinguish this commoner and better-known Apteryx from 

 the true A. australis of Shaw were pointed out by Mr. Bartlett at the meeting of the 

 Zoological Society held on the 10th Dec. 1850: — "This bird differs from the original 

 Apteryx australis of Dr. Shaw," says Mr. Bartlett, " in its smaller size ; its darker and 

 more rufous colour ; its longer tarsus, which is scutellated in front ; its shorter toes and 

 claws, which are horn-coloured ; its smaller wings, which have much stronger and 

 thicker quills ; and also in having long straggling hairs on the face." 



Mr. Bartlett tells us that, as far as he has been able to ascertain, all specimens of 

 Apteryx mantelli are from the Northern Island ; and this is completely confirmed by 

 Dr. von Hochstetter's observations, which are as follows : — 



" In the northern districts of the Northern Island this species of Apteryx appears to 



