238 Transactions — Zoology. 



endemic ; one, the blue duck [H. malacorJiynchus), belonging to a curious 

 genus found only in New Zealand, but related to a genus {Malacorhynchtjis) in 

 Australia. The others are all found in Australia, one {P. gihherijrons) ranging 

 through New Caledonia and the Indian Archipelago, and another, the common 

 grey duck {A. super ciliosa)^ spreading over Polynesia, as far north as the 

 Sandwich Islands. The- most remarkable circumstance connected with our 

 ducks, is the presence of a species of Fuligula, a genus found neither in Aus- 

 tralia nor Africa, but belonging properly to the northern parts of America, 

 Europe, and Asia, although one species is found in South America. The 

 occurrence, however, of a northern species {F. cristata) in the Pelew Islands 

 points out to us perhaps the route along which the ancestors of our species 

 travelled. 



The Chatham Islands possess thirty-two species of birds, omitting the gulls, 

 penguins, and petrels, of which six are found nowhere else. All the others 

 are found in New Zealand, except the shining cuckoo (C. plagosus), which, as 

 already stated, migrates to and from Australia. No genera, however, are 

 peculiar to these islands, except perhaps a rail {Rallus ? modestus) which is 

 evidently incapable of flight, and which will probably have to be placed in a 

 genus by itself. This curious form must not, however, be regarded as a change 

 produced by long isolation, but rather as an old form preserved from destruc- 

 tion by isolation. The most noticeable circumstance in the Chatham Island 

 fauna is the absence of Raptores, with the exception of an occasional visit from 

 the harrier {Circus gouldi), which does not however appear to inhabit the 

 islands, or at any rate is exceedingly rare there. 



The Auckland Islands possess twelve birds, three or four of which are 

 endemic, the remainder all belonging to New Zealand. The most remarkable 

 facts are the occurrence of a species of merganser (Mergus australis), a genus 

 found only in high northern latitudes, and of a duck {JVesonetta aucklandica) 

 with very short wings, belonging to a genus found nowhere else. 



On Norfolk Island we know of twenty -six birds. Of these two {Aijlonis 

 caledonicus and Platycercus novce-zealandice) are found in New Zealand and 

 New Caledonia ; five others are common to New Zealand and Australia j a 

 species of Nestor [iSf. productus) used to inhabit Philip Island close by, and 

 the remainder show an affinity to Australia. 



Lord Howe Island possesses only six land birds, two of which {Charadrius 

 hicinctus and Ocydromus sylvestris) show a connection with New Zealand, 

 while the rest show an affinity to Australia. 



A review of the facts disclosed by a study of the distribution of the 

 Carinate birds shows that although the affinity is greater with Australia than 

 with any other place, there is yet a decided leaning towards Polynesia, and 

 when we remember that a large portion of Australia lies in the same latitude 



