202 Transactions. — Zoology, 



higlily-coloiircd variety of the common species, for they correspond in their 

 style of colouring with the tail-feathers of var. d, described at page 43 of 

 my Birds of New Zealand, the type of which is in the Colonial Museum at 

 "Wellington. 



In my Essay on the Ornithology of New Zealand (18G5) I recorded a living 

 example of Nestor meridionalis in the possession of the Upper Wanganui 

 tribes, in which the overgrown mandibles entirely crossed each other. This 

 bird had been in captivity for some twenty years, and having been fed on 

 soft food the bill was deprived of the wear and tear incident to a state of 

 nature, which would account for its abnormal growth. A wild specimen, 

 however, lately obtained by Mr. Lambert, at Akaroa, presents the same 

 feature, and in an exaggerated degree, both mandibles being quite deformed. 



Platycercus alpinus, Buller. — Orange-fronted Parrakeet. 



This has proved to be a good species, and there are now living examples in 

 the Zoological Gardens, Eegent's Park. It is easily distinguished from 

 Platycercus auriceps, not only by its paler plumage and orange forehead, but 

 also by its appreciably smaller size. The type specimens of the three species 

 in the Canterbury Museum present the following gradations in size : — 



P. novce-zealandice. P. auriceps. P. alpbnis. 

 Extreme length* ... ... 12 inches 10.5 inches 9 inches 



Wing from flexure .. . ... 5-5 ,, 4-G ,, 4-2 „ 



Tail ... ... ... 6 „ 5 „ 4-5 „ 



Culmen ... ... ... .75 „ *G „ '5 „ 



Tarsus ... ... ,... -75 „ "C „ '5 „ 



Longer foretoo ... ... 1*1 „ 1 „ "85 „ 



Longer hindtoe and claw ... 1 „ '^ ?> '75 ,, 



The accompanying sketch (Plate VITI.), in which figures are given of the 

 heads, will show at a glance the amount of difference in this respect between 

 the three birds. 



I have in my possession a cluster of eggs taken from the ovary of an 

 adult P. aljnnus. 



Platycercus auriceps, Kuhl. — Yellow-fronted Parrakeet. 



The small red-fronted Parrakeet, supposed by Mr. Bills to be a new species, 

 is nothiug but a variety of Platycercus auriceps, with the yellow vertex deeply 

 stained, or rather mixed with red. Mr. Bills states that he found three of 

 these among GOO specimens taken, and one of these marked " male " is in the 

 Canterbury Museum. 



EuDYNAMis TAiTENSis, tSparmi. — Long-tailed Cuckoo. 



The egg in the Canterbury Museum ascribed (with doubt) to the above 



• From tip of upper inaudible to cud of tail. 



