Frsscm.—On New Zealand Ornithology. 69 
tinguish between them. The difference in the colour of the irides is, as is 
well known, no safe starting-point, and is certainly a very hazardous method 
to determine the principal specific characteristics. I have found in one and 
the same species the irides coloured differently; for instance, Plictolophus 
leadbeateri, Plictolophus sulfureus, &c. Mr. Zelebor describes the iris of 
A. melanura, “light cherry-red,” (Pelzeln, “ Novara Journ.,” p. 57,) which is 
already somewhat different from Mr. Buller’s description. 
It is not uninteresting to mention here the melodious notes of A. 
melanura, which Zelebor compares to our Sylvia cinerea. The bird is also a 
good mimic. 
2. ANTHORNIS RUFICEPS. 
Without doubt a well-defined species, which I had the pleasure to see, 
among other rare objects from New Zealand, in the Imperial collections at 
Vienna, through the kindness of my friend Mr. A. Pelzeln. 
9. GERYGONE ASSIMILIS. 
It is difficult, and scarcely safe, to decide on this new species from skins 
alone, as it differs so slightly from G. flaviventris. . 
4. Mrwvs canuwcvLATUS, Buller. 
ANTHOCHJERA BULLERI, Finsch. 
With regard to the generie character of this bird, Mr. Buller must be 
wrong in his decision; for, as the description reads, we have hereto do with a 
genuine Anthochera, but in nowise with a Mimus. The latter, it is well 
known, is confined to America. Buller's new species seems to correspond in 
size and colour very closely with the Australian A. carunculata, Lath. 
(Gould, “ Birds of Aust.,” 11, pl. 55); and since the name has been already 
given up, it must be re-named (26). 
6. CREADION CINEREUS, Buller. 
This new species may be the common Cr. carunculatus in immature 
plumage. In any case, the description reminds one of a young bird. 
Forster has informed us, in Latham’s “Gen. Hist," that the bright-brown 
back colouring is wanting in the female, and that the young are of one 
colour, viz. brown. The greyish-brown colouring of Buller’s bird may be 
that of a still younger plumage (27). 
7. Nestor svPERBUS, Buller. 
I cannot agree with Taylor’s supposition (“ Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist.,” 
3 ser., xviii., p. 140) that this species belongs perhaps to JV. meridionalis. 
Better consider it as a variety of the latter, especially since Mr. Buller 
