998 Transactions.— Zoology. 
Mr. Ellman, in his paper on the “ Birds of New Zealand," * states. that 
a Spoonbill was known to the Natives residing at Castle Point, on the east 
coast of Wellington, who called it a “ Kotuku-ngutu-papa." Mr. Ellman 
proposed for it the name of Ardea latirostrum.+ 
The specimen now exhibited is undoubtedly referable to the species first 
described by Mr. Gould in the « Proceedings of the Zoological Society” as 
the Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia), and this may be regarded as the first 
authentic record of its occurrence in New Zealand. It is tolerably common 
on the eastern and northern coast of Australia, and (according to Gould) 
although a rare visitant there, it has been killed within the colony of New 
South Wales. 
As Mr. Gould has pointed out in his “ Birds of Australia," this fine 
species may be readily distinguished from the Platalea leucorodia of Europe 
by the nudity of its face, which, even considerably beyond the eyes, is 
entirely destitute of feathers, and is of the same blaek colour as the bill. 
In other respects, both as to size and plumage, little difference exists 
between the two species. As with the European Spoonbill also, the fine 
crest which adorns the head of birds in full feather is assumed only in the 
pairing and breeding season. “In its habits and disposition it as closely 
assimilates to its European prototype as it does in general appearance, for 
like that bird it takes up its abode on the margin of those marshy inlets of 
the sea that run for a considerable distance into the interior, and on the 
banks of rivers and lakes, and feeds upon small-shelled molluses, frogs, 
insects, and the fry of fish, which are readily taken by its beautifully 
organized bill."—(Gould) 
The example before us is of course an aecidental straggler to our shores 
from the Australian Continent, but it is none the less interesting as a con- 
spicuous addition to the recognised Avifauna of New Zealand. 
Art, XXXIV.—Observations on a species of Shag inhabiting Queen Charlotte 
Sound. By Warrer L. Burer, C.M.G., Sc.D., President. 
Plate. 
[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, November 25th, 1876] 
Ar a meeting of this Society, held last year, I exhibited three specimens 
(male, female, and young) of a species of Shag from Queen Charlotte Sound, 
which appeared to differ in some of its characters from Phalacrocorax car- 
* Published in the “ Zoologist ” of 1861 ; see Buller, “ Trans, N.Z. Institute,” Essay 
on Ornithology, Vol. I., p. 16. n.e., L, p. 228. 
t “ Zoologist,” 1861, p. 7469. 
