Buuter.— Further Contributions to the Ornithology of New Zealand. 878 
Anas cnronoris, G. It, Gray.—Brown Duck. 
An albino form of this duck, the whole of the plumage being of a dull 
cream colour, with obsolete markings, was shot in the Horowhenua Lako 
in June last. 
The brown duck is far more plentiful than is generally supposed; but, 
being a nocturnal feeder, it is not so commonly seen as the grey duck and 
the “black teal" or pochard. It always retires up the creeks iu the woods 
during the day, or conceals itself among the sedges and vegetation which 
usually fringe the inland watercourses and lagoons, At Horowhenua, for 
example, where they are particularly abundant, you rarely surprise one, 
except by means of a dog, during the heat of tho day, But after sunset 
they begin to collect on the surface of the lake, emerging in pairs from their 
concealment, swimming down to the mouth of the bush creek, and then 
taking wing to the place of rendezvous. ‘They then form into flocks, some- 
times of considerable size, and are on the alert, feeding about the lake all 
night long. When hunting for its food, it makes a peculiar and rather 
musical sniffing noise. 
QUERQUEDULA GIBBERIFRONS, Bonap.—Little Teal. 
This duck is very plentiful in some of the sulphur springs at Ohinemutu, 
and likewise at Rotomahana, where, as Captain Mair informs me, he onco 
killed as many as eleven at a single shot on the water. It sometimes 
swims in pairs, but usually associates in small flocks of a dozen or more. 
It is easily distinguished from all the other species by the conspicuous 
white bar on the wings. 
STERCORARIUS ANTARCTICUS, Gray.—Southern Skua. 
The living example of this fine Skua-gull, referred to in last year's 
volume, is still an inhabitant of my garden, where, after much preliminary 
persecution, it now tolerates the companiouship of a grey sea-gull (Larus 
dominicanus). The history of this bird is somewhat remarkable. About a 
year and a-half ago it was captured somewhere in the viciuity of Kapiti, and 
came into the possession of the Hon. Wi Parata, who kept it in his marae till 
it became quite tame. Being injured in the wing it was unable to fly, but 
having made its escape, it travelled some ten miles up the coast, and was 
recaptured by some natives at Otaki. It remained there some three months, 
and then made a fresh start northwards. Its next stage was Horowhenua, 
where it was caught and taken inland to Hector McDonald's homestead. 
Here it became an inmate of the farm-yard, and appeared to get quite 
reconciled to its changed mode of life. It fraternized with the dogs and 
poultry, sharing their food and occasionally devouring a chicken. But one 
day, after a fight with a rival turkey, in which it appeared to come off 
second-best, it travelled to the coast, a distance of some four miles, and 
