BurrEn.—Purther Notes on the Ornithologi gy of New Zealand. 201 
Springs distriet, and that he has observed as many as a hundred together 
in Kaiteriria and Rotorua lakes. On their habits, he has furnished me 
with the following notes:—'*In 1869 I was riding along the shores of 
Tikitapu Lake with H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, when our attention 
was arrested by a pair of these birds with their young. We drew up and 
watched them for some time. Taking alarm at our approach, the female 
took her five young ones on her back and made several dives with them, 
coming up after each submersion at distances of ten yards or more. The 
young birds appeared to nestle under the feathers of the parent's back, and 
to hold on with their bills. In this manner they continued to dive till they 
were entirely out of sight, and H.R.H. appeared to be much interested in 
this singular performance." 
Art. XX.—Further Notes on the Or nithology of New Zealand. By WALTER 
L. Burutze, C.M.G., Sc.D., F.L.8. 
[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 12th January, 1878.] 
Circus courpr, Bonap.—Harrier. 
In the “ Birds of New Zealand," page 15, I have described a very beautiful 
albino specimen obtained by Mr. Goodall at Riwaka, and preserved in the 
Nelson Museum. During a visit to the Lake district last year I saw 
another, apparently very like it, hovering over the fern ridges that close in 
the intensely blue waters of Tikitapu. As he swooped down upon a rat or 
lizard in the fern, his under-parts appeared to be perfectly white, and the 
upper surface of the body and wings ashy. 
HieRACrpEA FEROX, Peale.—Sparrow-hawk. 
A pair of these birds bred for two successive seasons on a rocky crag at 
Niho-o-te-kiore. They guarded their nest with great vigilance, fiercely 
attacking all intruders. : 
I may mention that this species, unlike the generality of hawks (so far 
as I am aware), may be attracted by an imitation of its ery. Riding along 
alone one fine autumn evening through the country at the northern end of 
Lake Taupo on my way to Ohinemutu, I saw what appeared to be a 
sparrow-hawk come out of the bush at some distance and descend into 
an old or deserted Maori garden. By way of experiment I imitated the 
clamorous cry of this bird when on the wing; and in a few minutes the 
hawk (a fine young male) came sailing up to me and performed several 
circuits in the air immediately overhead, and then took up his station on 
the dry limb of a tree close by the road, where he remained till I was out 
of sight, — z 
