200 Transactions.—Z ooloqy. 
voyage, as it is a waste of time after ninety days, and we are now out 
ninety-four days, and have still 1000 miles to the Lizard. * * * * 
The birds are all well, except the loss of one Kiwi and two Woodhens. The 
specimen of O. nigricans, from the Snares, is all right, however ; also the pair 
of Ocydromus earli, and O. australis (the large yellow variety). The 
Cassowary and the Cranes are in fine condition. “ * * 
‘London, 80th May.—Arrived last night by rail from Falmouth; 105 
days in all,” 
Arr. XXIV.—Further remarks on some New Zealand Birds. 
By Orro Finscu, Ph.D., of Bremen; Hon. Mem. N.Z.I.; Hon. Mem. 
Brit. Ornith. Union. 
(Read before the Otago Institute, 7th February, 1876.] 
Circus approximans. Peale. 
A comparrson of specimens in the Leiden Museum from Australia, New 
Zealand, Fiji, and New Caledonia, has fully convinced me of their identity. — 
The specimen from New Caledonia (C. wolfii, Gurney) does not show a 
single character by which it can be specifically distinguished. As the true 
C. assimilis, Jard. and Selby, is undoubtedly the same as C. jardinei, Gould 
(which, therefore, must bear the former appellation), the New Zealand 
Harrier must stand as approximans, Peale, I also compared specimens of 
C. assimilis (=C. jardinei) from Australia and Celebes, and found them 
entirely alike. 
Scops nove-zealandia. Bp. 
An accurate description of this curious owl has been given by Mr. 
Sharpe (‘* Erebus ” and « Terror,” 2nd edition, p. 23) from the type in the 
Leiden Museum. Having also carefully inspected this unique specimen, I 
must state that the label gives no evidence of the true habitat, and that the 
notice ‘‘ New Zealand”’ remains only a supposition. 
Strix delicatula. Gould. 
Mr. Sharpe includes this species in the avifauna of New Zealand 
(‘Erebus ” and “ Terror,” 2nd edition, p. 23) on account of my statement 
(“ Journ. fiir Ornith.,”” 1867, p. 318). But I long ago stated (‘ Journ. fiir 
Ornith.,’’ 1870, p. 245) that I had made a mistake on this point. 
Platycercus nove zealandia, Sparrm. 
I had the pleasure of seeing a very rare variety of this species, which, 
instead of green, was of a uniform marine blue, with dark blue wings ; the 
front and rump spots being isabelline-whitish instead of red.* Another 
* This is the specimen referred to by Mr. Potts (Trans. N.Z. inst.” Vol. Vi, 
p. 148.—F. W. H, 
