138 — flransactions.—Z, oology. 
rank as a distinct species. Dr. Buller, in his quotation from my catalogue, 
omits the first part of the sentence, in which I say that the change in my 
opinion about this bird was owing to my having visited the South Island.” 
[1 cannot see how Captain Hutton’s visit to the South Island in any way 
affects the argument. The only question is, whether the difference of plumage 
(admitting it to be constant) entitles our bird to rank asa distinct species. 
I follow Mr. Gould in believing that it does.] 
* PHALACROCORAX BREVIROSTRIS. 
* According to Mr. H. Travers, this bird is not found in the Chatham 
Islands." 
^ [This species certainly does occur in the Chatham Islands, for I shot a 
specimen there myself during a short visit in 1855.] 
* PHALACROCORAX PUNCTATUS. 
“The stage of plumage figured and described by Dr. Buller as that of the 
female is the winter dress of both sexes. The plumage of the sexes is similar 
in all Cormorants. This bird is quite as abundant at Napier and in the Firth 
of the Thames as in any part of the South Island." 
[I stated (* Birds of New Zealand," p. 336) that I was “by no means 
certain whether this was not only a seasonal state of plumage.” I cannot, 
however, accept Captain Hutton’s dictum on this point till he gives some facts. 
in support of it. Mr. Fuller, who has collected scores of these birds at all 
seasons, rejected this view, and assured me that he had found the crested and 
uncrested birds breeding in separate pairs at one and the same time. Both 
Dr. Haast and Mr, Fuller were inclined’ to consider the uncrested bird a 
distinct species. ] 
* APTERYX MANTELLI. 
“This bird is not so scarce in the North Island as Dr. Buller imagines. 
In 1866 I heard it at the Waikato coal-mines ; and a few months previously 
a surveying party killed five at Taupiri, on the opposite side of the river. The 
natives also told me that it was common on the Piako ranges In 1868 
I heard of four being killed at Howick, and two in the Waitakerei ranges, 
both places being within a few miles of Auckland ; and I have on several 
occasions had eggs brought me from Pirongia.” 
[The few instances that Captain Hutton records do not suffice to make 
Apteryx mantelli a common species in the North Island. Its practical scarcity 
may be inferred from the fact that an offer of £5 for a specimen, which 
appeared some time ago in the Maori newspaper, failed to obtain one. 
I must here record my total dissent from the opinion expressed by 
Captain Hutton, and based on the structure of the egg-shell, that Apteryx 
“belongs to the Carinate type of birds” (Trans. N.Z. Inst., IV., p. 167), for 
such a view is entirely opposed to the principles of modern classification. } 
