452 



ZOOLOGICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



[PART III. 



We have thus a wonderful amount of speciality ; yet the affi- 

 nities of the fauna, whenever they can be traced, are with Aus- 

 tralia or Polynesia. Nine genera of New Zealand birds are 

 characteristically Australian, and the eight genera of wide range 

 are Australian also. Of the peculiar genera, 7 or 8 are undoubtedly 

 allied to Australian groups. There are also four Australian and 

 one Polynesian species. Even the peculiar family, Nestoridse, is 

 allied to the Australian Trichoglossidse. We have therefore every 

 gradation of similarity to the Australian fauna, from identical 

 species, through identical genera, and allied genera, to distinct 

 but allied families ; clearly indicating very long continued yet 

 rare immigations from Australia or Polynesia; immigrations which 

 are continued down to our day. For resident ornithologists be- 

 lieve, that the Zosterops lateralis has found its way to New Zea- 

 land within the last few years, and that the two cuckoos now 

 migrate annually, the one from Australia, the other from some 



