BuiiER.— Ornithology of New Zealand. 219 
it has been provisionally named S¢rix kaasti in honour of that enterprising 
naturalist. 
The natives are acquainted with another owl, of very diminutive size and 
strictly arboreal in its habits. When our forests have been better explored 
we may know something more of this recluse species. At present it is 
impossible to determine to what genus it belongs. - 
In some species of birds, individuals from different localities present a 
slight but uniform variation of plumage, sufficiently apparent, although not 
amounting to a specific difference. This is particularly the case with our 
common owl. Specimens obtained in the Nelson Province are, on comparison 
with examples from the opposite side of Cook Strait, invariably found to be 
more largely marked with white around the eyes and on the feathers covering 
the base of the bill 
. Fam. Atcepinrpx.—The members of the restricted genus Halcyon range 
over the Indian Archipelago, Australia, and New Zealand. Two species 
appear on our list, viz., Halcyon vagans and H. cinnamominus. The former 
of these, our common kingfisher, has an extended range, frequenting alike 
the sea shore, the outskirts of the forest, dead timber, and the banks of fresh- 
water streams. It subsists chiefly on small ground lizards (Tiliqua zealandica 
and T. ornata), but feeds also on field mice, insects, and grubs. 
The other species is of doubtful locality. It is quoted as a New Zealand 
bird on the authority of Mr. Swainson, who, in deseribing it (Zoological 
Illustrations, 1821), observes, ^ As far as I can ascertain, this beautifully 
coloured bird is quite new and hitherto undescribed. It is in the possession 
of Mr. Leadbeater, of Brewer Street, oy whom it was — Srom New 
Zealand,and who gave me the opp ity 
figure and description.” 
Fam. Urvrrpx.—tThe form that constitutes the new genus Heteralocha 
is strictly a New Zealand one, Only one species is at present known, and 
this is becoming extremely scarce. It is the huia of the natives, and has 
been appropriately named by Mr. Gray, Heteralocha gouldi. 
This rare and beautiful bird is confined within narrow geographical limits, 
its range being restricted to the Tararua and Ruahine mountain ranges, 
(North Island), with their divergent spurs and the intervening wooded 
valleys. It is occasionally found in the Fagus forests of the Wairarapa 
Valley, but never wanders far from its mountain home. 
The sexes differ conspicuously in form and size of the bill; and the 
wattles, which in the adult are a bright orange colour, are flesh white in the 
young bird. 
Fam. Menrenacipm.—The honey-eating genera, as we have already 
observed, form an important section of Australian zoology. Even a large 
of DOW publishing tl p y 8 
