37 



thoracic shield and two succeeding plates marked with black. Antennae and 

 legs yellowish brown, the joints of the latter spotted with black. Under parts 

 yellowish brown, darker on the edges of the abdominal segments. 



My specimen was obtained in the Wanganui District, and was found 

 undersfround. 



Art. IX. — Further Notes on the Ornithology of New Zealand. 

 By Walter Buller, F.L.S., F.G.S., F.E.G.S. 



(With Illustrations.) 



\Jiead before the Wellington Philosophical Society, November 12, 1870.] 



In the Ornithological Notes which I had the honour on a former occasion to 

 lay before the Society, I ventured to combat some of the views advanced by 

 Dr. Otto Finsch, in regard to the characters and nomenclature of some of our 

 New Zealand birds. That discussion, of which the present paper may be 

 considered a continuation, was entered upon not in a spirit of controversy, but 

 from a genuine desire on both sides to elicit the truth and to extricate the 

 avifauna of this country from the confusion of nomenclature in which it had 

 become involved. The critical experience which Dr. Finsch brought to bear 

 on the subject, added to his very extensive knowledge of general ornithology, 

 has proved of great value in determining hitherto little known or doubtful 

 species. And I venture to believe that, owing to the advantage I possess as a 

 local investigator, I also have been able to contribute in some degree to a better 

 understanding of many of the species. 



To me, personally, the discussion so commenced has been of service, by 

 bringing me into friendly and direct communication with one of the most 

 learned of Continental ornithologists ; and in the last letter which I had the 

 pleasure of receiving from him. Dr. Finsch frankly admits that my last paper 

 has converted him on several points. For example, — that Anthornis auriocula 

 is quite distinct from A. melanura, that Rhijndura flabelUfera is clearly 

 separable from R. albisca'pa of Australia, that Platycercus Fosteri (Finsch) is 

 of very doubtful specific value, and that Von Pelzeln's Anthornis ruficejys is 

 merely a flower-stained example of A. melanura. On the subject of those 

 " new species " which he has proved to have been already known to science, 

 he remarks, — " I do not attack you in any way for joublishing such species as 

 new ; on the conti^ary, I am glad to find that there is a zealous man working 

 in our science who endeavours himself to conti'ibute towards a better know- 

 ledge of the bu-ds of that very interesting part of our globe. To a man 

 engaged, as I have been, on ornithology for fifteen years, and working on the 



