224 x Transactions. — Zoology. 



Himantopus niger, Ellman, Zool., 1861, p. 7,470. 

 Himantopus melas, Hutton, Cat. B. of N.Z., 1871, p. 30. 

 Himantopus novce-zealandice, Buller, Birds of N.Z., 1873, p. 205. 

 Himantopus spicatus (?picatus) y Potts, Trans. N.Z. Inst., 1872, 



p. 171, et. p. 198. 



3. Himantopus albicollis, sp. nov. 



Ad. — Capite to to cum collo undique et corpore subtus toto albis ; inter- 

 scapulio, scapularibus cum dorso summo et tectricibus alarum nigris ; remiges 

 angustfe albido terminatis ; subalaribus nigris ; dorso postico et uropygio albis; 

 cauda nigra : rostro nigro : pedibus pallide eruentatis. 



Art. XXX. — On some additions to the Collection of Birds in the Colonial 



Museum. By Walter L. Buller, D.Sc., F.L.S., etc. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 10th February, 1875.] 



I have much pleasure in laying before the Society this evening several 

 ornithological novelties lately added to the collection in the Colonial Museum, 

 and kindly submitted to me by Dr. Hector for determination. 



NuaiENius uropygialis, Gould. 



The first specimen to be noticed is an example of the Australian Whimbrel, 



Wairau 



W 



I have carefully compared the specimen with the descriptions of this and 

 the allied species in Gould's Birds of Australia, and in Finscb and Hartlaub's 

 Birds of Central Polynesia, and I feel no hesitation in assigning it to 



Numenius uropygialis. Gould states that this form is somewhat smaller than 

 the European bird, Numenius phceopus {—femoralis, Peale); and the New 

 Zealand example, as will be seen from the following comparative statement of 

 measurements is even smaller than Gould's type. The colours and markings 

 of the plumage, however, leave no doubt on my mind that it is the species 

 described by Mr. Gould under the above name; and we may, I think, safely 

 conclude that the example before us is an accidental straggler from Australia. 



Bill Wing. Tail. Tarsus. 

 In. In. In. In. 



N. uropygialis, according to Gould ... 3 9-5 3 2-25 

 New Zealand example ... ... 2-4 875 3-252-2 



CYAsroPus, Vieillot 



company 



Mr. Lia 



afterwards succeeded in shooting, a fine specimen 



