BurLER.—O» Ardetta maculata. 119 
Amr. XXVI.— Notes on the Little Bittern of New Zealand (Ardetta 
maculata). By Water L. Burer, D.Sc., F.LS., ete. 
Plate XXI. 
[Received by the Wellington Philosophical Society, March, 1874.]* 
Tue first mention of the existence of a Little Bittern in New Zealand was 
made by Mr. Ellman (Zoologist, 1861, p. 7469), who gave it a place in his list 
of species, apparently on native authority. 
The first recorded specimens (two in number) were obtained by Mr. Shaw, 
at Kanieri, on the West Coast, in March, 1868, and forwarded to the 
Canterbury Museum, where they are still preserved. Mention of these was 
made in my notes on Dr. Finsch's paper, read before the Philosophical Society 
of Wellington, in August, 1868 (Trans. N.Z. Inst, 1868, Vol. I., р. 110). 
Subsequently a third specimen was obtained “ in one of the swampy creeks 
that feed the Okarito Lagoon," and another at the head of the Wakatipu 
Lake, above Queenstown, in the Province of Otago. The last-named specimen 
was described in a paper.read before the Otago Institute, by Mr. Purdie, who 
proposed to name it Ardeola nove-zealundie (Trans. N.Z. Inst, 1870, 
Vol. ПІ., p. 99.) Mr. Potts afterwards referred the species to Ardetta pusilla, 
of Gould, and contributed to the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury some 
very interesting notes on its range and habits (Trans. N.Z. Inst, 1870, 
Vol. ПІ., рр. 97—100.) Im the “ Birds of New Zealand " I have since given 
the historical synonomy, and shown that the title of maculata (Latham, 1801) 
has the oldest claim to recognition. 
During a visit to Hokitika in the autumn of 1871, I received from Mr. 
Clapeott the skin of a fine male specimen, apparently in full adult plumage ; 
and I afterwards secured, through the kind assistance of Dr. Garland, a second 
specimen (a younger male), both of which had been obtained in the vicinity of 
the township. : 
So far as I am aware, those I have enumerated are the only examples of 
this bird that are at present known, and none of these correspond to 
Mr. Gould's description of the adult female in Australia. If I recollect aright, 
one of the specimens in the Canterbury Museum is marked T and if the sex 
in this case was determined by dissection, I think it highly probable that our 
Little Bittern will prove to be distinct from 4. maculata of authors. 
As the species is evidently very rare in New Zealand, and may, ere long, 
become extinct, I am anxious to direct attention to the subject without delay, 
in the hope that some colonist who has the opportunity will investigate this 
point, and so enable us to decide finally whether our bird is in reality identical 
with that inhabiting Australia. 
| '* Dated at London 30th December, 1873. 
