206 Transactions. — Zoology. 



albino of Ocydromus earli, mentioned at page 166 of the Birds of New 

 Zealand, that is to say, with straggling pure white feathers all over the body. 



Ocydromus fuscus, Du Bus.— Kelp-hen. 



In 



These 



are 



markings disappear after the first or second moult, and the rufous streaks on 

 the upper surface appear to diminish as the bird gets older. 



Ortygojietra affikis, Gray.— Water Crake. 



The hands on the flanks are more conspicuous in the male, and the 

 ferruginous of the upper parts is brighter ; in other respects the s 

 alike. There is no appreciable difference in size. 



Becurvirostra novje-hollandi^e, Vieill— Bed-necked Avocet. 



The sexes are exactly alike. The young of the first year has the black of 

 the upper surface deeply tinged with brown ; across the shoulders, when the 

 wings are closed, there is a horse-shoe mark of blackish grey ; head and neck 

 pale ashy brown, darker on the throat, and inclining to rufous on the nape 

 and sides of the neck. 



Thinornis nov.e-zealandij3, Gmelin .— Sand Plover. 



Dr. Dieffenbach states in his report to the New Zealand Company (Pari. 

 Pap., 1841) that he found this species inhabiting the strand at Port Nicholson 

 in 1840, and he gives an accurate description of it. It is singular that it has 



with in the Wi 



Ardea sacra, Gmelin. — Blue Heron. 



In the young of the first year the plumage is largely stained with brown, 

 especially on the upper parts ; all the wing-coverts are shaded with brown 

 towards the tip, with a narrow terminal edging of a lighter tint. 



Ardetta maculata, Latham. — Little Bittern. 



The Canterbury Museum now contains four specimens of this little Bittern, 

 all obtained on the West Coast. Two of these are marked "male," and the 

 others "female." One male and one female are in the plumage of my "adult 

 male," the other male and female are in the plumage of my " younf male." 

 (Birds of N.Z., pp. 235-236.) If the sexing in these cases is to be relied on it 

 would seem that, in our New Zealand bird, the sexes are alike, the plain 

 tawny wing-coverts being only a sign of immaturity. As already mentioned 

 (I.e., p. 236) my "young male" presented indications of a change of plumage. 

 See remarks in last volume of Transactions N.Z. Inst., pp. 119-121. 



Trixga canutus, Linn.— Knot. 



Dr. Finsch expresses his befief that the bird occurring in New Zealand 

 will turn out to be Tringa crassirostris, Temm. and Schleg., the larger 

 eastern representative of T. canutus. I was not able to take a specimen to 



