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young birds which have been obtained in both islands ; the young birds that 

 have come under observation in this district have made their appearance in 

 the month of March, which gives an indication as to the breeding season. 

 Although its flight is peculiar, with a very rapid motion of the wings, we have 

 known it on several occasions to have been mistaken for a hawk. Last March, 

 we noticed a young bird near Mt. Somers, at no great distance from the 

 Fagus bush of Alford Forest ; it maintained its rather awkward flight but a 

 short distance at a time, alighting heavily on the ground, and turning each 

 time it settled, so that it faced the direction fi'om whence it flew. 



A specimen obtained in Ohinetahi, at Christmas time, measures as under : 

 — Beak from gape 1 inch 8 lines ; upper mandible hox'n colour, curved, hooked 

 at the point and reaching below the lower mandible, which is yellowish ; 

 nostrils pierced close to the base, head feathers reaching to the nostrils ; wings 

 measure 8 inches, first feather short with outer web exceedingly narrow, third 

 and foui'th feathers longest ; tarsi defended with imbricated scales, measures 

 1 inch 3 lines ; toes, three in front and one behind, covered with scales, armed 

 with curved claws of dark horn colour • entire length from tip of beak to the 

 extremity of the tail 1 foot 6 inches, of which the tail measures 9 inches ; 

 upper surface is of a rich bright brown, barred across with rufous brown ; the 

 top of the head brown, marked with streaks of rufous, a streak of bufly brown 

 extending from nostril over and behind the eye ; neck barred with rufous, the 

 end of each feather bearing a spot of lighter brown near the tip ; wing 

 coverts brown, barred with rufous and very slightly tipped with white ; 

 tail dark brown, banded with rufous, tipped with white, inner webs palest ; 

 tinder surface white, with brown streaks down the centre of each feather ; 

 thighs bufFy, feathers pointed with brown ; under tail coverts white, with bars 

 of dark brown. 



There ai-e several specimens of young birds in the Museiims of Wellington 

 and Canterbuiy ; the plumage differs much from that of adult specimens, 

 being warmer in tone, especially on the under surface, and the upper surface 

 presents a spotted appearance. 



The young have been supposed a new species, which is not surprising when 

 the general contrast of the plumage in the two states is considered. One of 

 the yotmgest specimens we have seen, measuring from tip of beak to extremity 

 of tail 1 2 inches 3 lines, has the upper surface dark brown ; feathers barred 

 with pale brown, spotted with buff"; wings with a spot of buff" at the extremity 

 of the outer web ; under surface warm rufous, with streaks of brown. 



The Long-tailed Cuckoo visits the alpine districts, where, during summer 

 time, its remarkably shrill note is not unfrequently heard. It should be 

 mentioned that, unlike the bronze-winged cuckoo, its occurrence in the more 

 cultivated neighbourhoods is rather rare. In the bush its movements are 

 restless, but its habits are not those of a shy or wary bird. 



