Wellington Pkilosophical Society. 405 



Dr. Giiiither says that N. elegans and N. punctatus are one and the same 

 species. 

 u JSforhea isolata. 



" I fear Captain Hutton is wrong in referring his new species to the genus 

 Norhea. Dr. GUnther is of the same opinion, and considers the existence of 

 such a form in New Zealand as improbable as the occurrence there of a 

 crocodile ! 



'' The ' depression on the top of the head ' may be a mere abnormity of 

 character, for this is very common among the lizards. 

 " Naultinus sulphur eus. 



" There are two specimens of my JSf. sulpJiureus in the British Museum, 

 one of them presented by Dr. Sinclair, the other by Capt. Byron Drury, R.N. 



" I think Capt. Hutton will find, on further inquiry, that Dr. Hector's 



type-specimen did come originally fiom the Hot Springs. 



Birds. 

 " H. hrunnea. 



" Dr. Finsch writes me as follows : — ' I consider Hieracidea hrunnea as 

 doubtful a species as Nestor occidentalis ', and if you declare the very singular 

 Stringo2)s greyi a mere variety I think you ought to do the same with the two 

 former.' 



" Mr. J. H. Gurney, however, who is an acknowledged authority on 

 Accipitres, writes nie, under date April 10, ' I am sure you are right about the" 

 distinctness of the two New Zealand Hieracidece.' 



" Nestor occidentalis has been retained provisionally for the reasons given 

 in my work on the Birds of New Zealand (pp. 50-51). My arguments for 

 the reduction of Stringops greyi to the rank of a synonym are, I think, 

 conclusive. Mr. G, R. Gray (who described the so-called new species) says 

 he accepts my decision. I may add that latterly he was himself very doubtful 

 of the validity of the species." 



Captain Hutton explained v/ith reference to Norhea isolata, that he thought 

 the frequent representation in New Zealand of tropical forms was not sufficiently 

 appreciated. The lizard in question is of a stunted form, and may be a case 

 like some tropical plants that are found in New Zealand and other islands near 

 hot springs. 



4. Dr. Hector described a Porpoise that had been shot by Mr. Lewis 

 Wilson, from tlie s.s. "Luna." The skull proves it to be Electra clancula, a 

 species founded on the skull of a specimen in the British Museum, iyide 

 ante, p. 160.) 



5. "The Ascent of Tauakira," by H. C. Field. 



(abstract.) 

 Tauakira, known to sailors as "The Devil's Thumb," is an important 



