H. Travers.—On the Chatham Islands. 125 
feet deep. In several parts of the island this peat has been on fire for years, 
burning at a considerable depth below the surface, which, when sufficiently 
undermined, caves in, and is consumed. I have seen the loose ashes arising 
from these fires, upwards of thirty feet deep. In one place I noticed, in the 
burning peat, at a depth of six or seven feet from the surface, trunks of trees 
of a growth evidently far exceeding any that are now to be found on the 
islands. I was, I am sorry to say, unable to obtain any specimens, in con- 
sequence of the great height of the wall of peat, and the mass of ashes below. 
The surface growth (exclusive of bush) consists principally of grasses and 
sedges, with small patches of fern ; but I have little doubt that large numbers 
of indigenous herbaceous plants have been destroyed, partly by the constant 
firing of the surface by the natives, and partly by the pigs, cattle, and horses. 
Nearly the whole country had, in fact, been burnt shortly before my arrival. 
“There are at present but few land birds either on this or on Pitt’s 
Island: Formerly the White Crane (Herodias flavirostris), the Bittern 
(Botaurus poicilopterus), an Apteryx, said by the Maoris to have been identi- 
eal with a New Zealand species, and also, according to their accounts, a 
smaller species of the same bird, the Weka (Ocydromus australis), and the 
Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) were found on both islands, but have become 
extinet sinee their invasion by the New Zealanders. Mr. Hunt informed 
me that the last time he saw the Bittern was about three years ago. The land 
birds now found are a large Kite, the Pigeon, the Tui or Parson Bird (Pros- 
themadera nove-zealandia), the Pukeko (Porphyrio melanotus), the Parakeet 
(Platycercus, sp.), the Fan-tail (Rhipidura), the Lark, and a small Titmouse, 
all identical with the birds of the same genera found on New Zealand. I 
was told by Mr. Hunt that the Pigeon was first seen on the islands within the 
last eight years, and that the Titmouse appeared shortly after the occurrence 
of the great fires in Australia, known as the Black Thursday fires. Mr. Hunt 
is a very careful and trustworthy person, and as his statement relative to the 
Pigeon was confirmed by the Maoris, I have full reason for believing what 
he told me in regard to both birds. Of aquatic birds I saw the Gray Duck, 
Brown Teal, and two species of Shag common in ‘New Zealand, and a large 
number of Gulls and other sea birds similar to those which frequent the 
coast of that country. Mutton-birds were extraordinarily numerous on a 
rock known as the Fort, lying between Chatham and Pitt’s Island. During 
my journey round Chatham Island, of which I have given an account above, 
I saw a peculiar Teal on one of the lagoons near the Red Bluff. This bird 
had bright scarlet markings on the wings. I fired at it, but owing to the 
great dampness of the weather, the gun I had with me hung fire, and I missed 
the bird. I never saw another specimen, and was informed that it is very 
uncommon. The number of land birds of all kinds, however, is extremely 
