Friwscm.—On New Zealand Ornithology. 67 
and sex. Von Pelzeln has lately discovered that O. australis and brachyp- 
ferus cannot be specifically different; whilst Schlegel acknowledges the 
last as a distinct species, and on the other hand is inclined to class O. earli 
as the same species with O. australis. The difference in size, which, aecord- 
ing to him, is the principal distinguishing feature, is nevertheless of an 
inconclusive nature. O. brachypterus should thus be distinguished from 
australis by remarkable difference in size: nevertheless the measurements 
which Lafresnaye has given agree throughout with those of O. australis. 
According to Gray's measurements, O. australis is larger even than Schlegel's 
O. brachypterus. Also, with regard to colour, it is very difficult to show a 
decisive difference in the three species. In my opinion, O. brachypterus is 
the immature plumage of O. earli, which latter species is distinguished by the 
brown colour of the bill and legs, the prevailing rust-red colour of the whole, 
and the almost unobservable gray marks on the head, chin, and throat (22). 
Rallus assimilis, Gray, together with R. dieffenbachi, celebensis, Quoy, 
and some other allied species, belong to the genus or sub-genus Hypotenidia. 
Their specific independence is nevertheless very doubtful; in any case it 
would be well for the present not to separate them from the Australian 
R. pectoralis, Less., ( philippensis, Finsch). Concerning the latter, we know 
from Peale's aecount that the cinnamon-coloured band on the breast is 
sometimes absent. It has an extefisive range over Australia, Celebes, many of 
the South Sea Islands—Viti, Samoa, Tahiti—as far as the Philippines. 
(See * Ornith. Cent. Polyn.," p. 157.) 
Concerning the habits of Ortygometra tabuensis, which embraces all 
Australia and most of Eastern and Central Polynesian Islands, see 
“ Ornith. Cent. Polyn.,” p. 169. 
Ortygometra affinis can scarcely be classed as a distinct species from 
O. palustris, Gould (23). 
Fam. Anatrpa.—Of the seven species of duck which we know to frequent 
New Zealand, only one, Anas superciliosa, has a wider range ; the remaining 
six species are peculiar to the islands. This richness in the duck tribe must 
be recorded as a remarkable peculiarity of the New Zealand ornithology. 
The total want of Anseres is less to be wondered at, since Australia also is 
very poor in native species (24). 
The specific differences between Podiceps rufipectus and the Australian 
P. poliocephalus, Jard., (nestor, Gould,) must remain doubtful until we 
possess distinguishing features of a more decided character than those 
hitherto described. The bird drawn by Gray (“ Erebus and Terror,” pl. 19) 
has certainly not yet attained its adult plumage. 
Fam. PRocELLARIDAE.— Gould gives, in his “ Birds of Australia," a list of 
only thirty-four species belonging to this couniry, of which, however, some 
