H. and W. Travers. — Birds of the Chatham Islands. 217 



64. Charadrius bicinctus. 



Not common, and found chiefly in open grassy country. 



65. Thinor7iis novce-zealandice. 



I only found this bird on Mangare and on parts of the coast of Pitt 

 Island. It has been called the " bowing-bird " by the settlers, from its habit 

 of bowing its body when approached. 



68. Hmmatopus longirostris. 



Not common and usually found on sandy beaches. 



74. Ardea poiciloptera. 



I did not obtain a specimen of this bird, which has become very rare on 

 the Islands, but I was informed by persons who had seen it, and who knew the 

 New Zealand bird, that it was precisely similar. 



76. Limosa uropygialis. 



I did not obtain a specimen of this bird, but was informed that it visited 

 the islands in spring, leaving them in the autumn. 



83. Gallinago pusilla. 



I only found this bird on Mangare, where it is not common. I never saw 

 it on the wing except when disturbed, and, being very tame, it then only flies 

 a short distance. It lives in holes in the rocks, coming out towards evening 

 to feed. Its chief food is worms and grubs, for which it scratches the ground 

 much in the manner of a fowl ; from this habit the settlers have given it the 

 name of the " chicken-bird." Its cry is peculiar, something like the note 

 which is produced by blowing into a hollow reed at one end of which a finger 

 is placed and frequently and suddenly removed. This note is repeated rapidly 

 six or seven times. The holes it inhabits are about eighteen inches deep, and 

 evidently artificial. In the two instances in which I obtained young birds in 

 the nests there was only one bird in each case. I could not detect any 

 difference in plumage between the sexes. 



— . Rallus modestus, sp. n. Hutton. 



Matirakahu of the Morioris. Of this bird, which I only found on 

 Mangare, I obtained two specimens, one a full grown female, and the other a 

 young one. It is not known on any of the other islands, and although 

 I was on Mangare for twelve days these were the only specimens I saw. The 

 birds in question were found in a very rocky place, and when disturbed sought 

 to hide themselves amongst the stones. I had no opportunity of studying its 

 habits, and having unfortunately failed in obtaining the male parent bird, I 

 am unable to say whether its plumage is difierent from that of the female. It 

 appears to be a nocturnal bird, as those I obtained came out of the rocks at 

 dusk, evidently to feed. Both the parent birds had escaped in the first 



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