BuLLER.—O; the Ornithology of New Zealand. 115 
examining the type in the British Museum, I pronounced it * nothing but 
Pl. nove-zealandie with the red uropygial spots accidentally absent" (* Birds of 
New Zealand," p. 59). 
Certhiparus nove-zealandie, Оті]. 
Captain Hutton was quite right in uniting C. maculicaudus with this 
species. But Dr. Finsch was mistaken in supposing that his specimens were 
* from both islands," because this bird has never yet been met with in the 
North Island. 
I examined, with the late Mr. G. R. Gray, his type of C. maculicaudus in 
the British Museum, but failed to see anything to distinguish it specifically 
from C. nove-zealandic. 
Rhipidura fuliginosa, Sparrm. 
Dr. Finsch “ hesitates to unite Z. melanura” with the above species, 
because he has never met with specimens having “a white spot above the 
eye." "There can be no doubt, I think, that both names refer to one and the 
same species. The white spot (not above the eye, but on the side of the head 
behind it) is often wanting. I have obtained specimens both with and with- 
out this feature, at the same time and consorting together, in the Round Bush, 
near Kaiapoi. * 
The interbreeding of this species with the Pied Fantail (R. flabellifera), 
as described by Mr. Potts in his admirable papers on the nesting habits of 
New Zealand birds, is a most interesting fact. And it is very remarkable that, 
whereas the pied species is universally distributed over the country, the 
Black Fantail is not found in the North Island, only one instance being 
recorded of its occurrence there (* Birds of New Zealand," p. 146). 
Turnagra hectori, Buller. 
I do not dispute Dr. Finsch’s identification of this bird with Keropia 
tanagra. My reason, however, for retaining the specific appellation of 
T. hectori is thus stated in my ‘ Birds of New Zealand” (p. 136):—“ Under 
ordinary circumstances the name I have proposed would, of course, be reduced 
toa synonym. It will be observed, however, that Professor-Schlegel has used 
а common generic name to distinguish the bird specifically, while he refers 
the form to the genus Otagon, established by Bonaparte in 1850. As I can 
see no valid reason for setting aside the generic title of Z'urnagra, proposed by 
Lesson as early as 1837, and as the adoption of the older specific name would, 
according to this view, give the confused result of T'urnagra tanagra, І have 
deemed myself justified in retaining the distinctive appellation of 7. hectori. 
At the same time I am anxious to give due prominence to the fact that 
Professor Schlegel was the first to discover the existence of this new 
species." 
