BeNEDEN.—On a New Fossil Bird, Anas finschi. 599 
Art. XCIIL——A4 new fossil bird, Anas finschi, from the Earnscleugh Caves, 
Otago, New Zealand. By P. J. Van BENEDEN. 
(Abridged from ** Annales de la Soc. Geol. de Belg.," Vol. II., p. 128.) 
[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 9th December, 1876.] 
ommunicated by Dr. Hector. 
Plate XXVIII. 
Excavations recently made in the above caves have revealed the existence of 
several new kinds of birds, amongst which there is one that deserves special 
notice. 
It was submitted by Dr. Finsch, of Bremen, one of the most distinguished 
ornithologists of the present day, and one who has specially interested him- 
self in the birds of New Zealand. He has compared these remains with the 
existing species of that country, and has easily been able to convince him- 
self that these bones do not come from any bird known there at the present 
day. 
Among the nine species of ducks described, there are only two 
to which these bones bear any resemblance. These are Dendrocygna eytoni, 
Gould, and Querquedula gibberifrons, S. Mull., two birds accidentally ob- 
served as stragglers in New Zealand, being quite peculiar to the Australian 
continent. 
Dr. Finsch adds to these accounts the table of measurements which he 
has taken from these two species, after some stuffed specimens in the 
Bremen Museum. These measurements are herewith appended :— 
Anas Anas Dendrocygna 
— oo chlorotis |gibbosifrons toni 
(Gray). (Mull). (Gould). 
ill. Mill. 
Length of head am em ae 69 95 87 97 
» Of beak from the frontal .. «à 40 55 41 
» of be om edge behind 
nasal holes : we AN 39 93 40 
» from anterior edge .. ai bi 29 24 29 
Width of beak in front jc wi es 11 15 16 
nS i 63 60 
53 87 58 
Dr. Finsch remarks :—“ If the bones of the head and of the beak re- 
semble the Querquedula, the length of the legs removes them considerably 
from it. On the other hand the legs are not so long as in Denrdrocygna 
eytoni, also he thinks that these remains proceed from a duck which has 
affinities rather with the Dendrocygna than with the other division. 
Among the true ducks of this country (New Zealand) there is only the 
Anas chlorotis, Gray, which can be compared to it, says Dr. Finsch, and he 
adds the measurement of this species as given above. 
