116 



parent bird dives in succession, the young ones remaining on the surface, but 

 with the body fully immersed, so as to leave nothing but the small head and 

 neck visible. The habit of carrying the young on their backs, and of diving 

 in order to shake them off when the young birds exhibit a determined disin- 

 clination to leave their snug station, has j^robably led to the error referred to. 

 I have seen the pai-ent frequently endeavouring to shake off the young one, 

 which, judging from its outcries, disliked and resisted the attemjDt, until 

 removed in the manner I have mentioned. JSTor is the suggestion of Mr. 

 Yarrell at all consistent with the fact that the Grebe, when diving, uses its 

 wings to add to its velocity. 



Although the Grebe reluctantly takes to flight, there is no doubt that it 

 flies without any great difliculty, for it is found in situations which it can only 

 reach by rising considerably above the general level of the ground. 



I have never seen two or more pairs of birds associating together, or 

 mingling with the various species of ducks also inhabiting the same lake ; no 

 pair, howevei", appears to confine itself to any particular station, except when 

 accompanied by young ones, in which case they do not ramble far from the 

 nest until the young ones have attained a considerable size. I visited the 

 nests frequently at night, but never found them occupied after the young- 

 were hatched out, but I have found it warm, as if recently occupied ; the 

 birds, no doubt, left it on the approach of the boat, but their quiet stealthy 

 motion prevented my hearing them do so. 



Art. XV. — Notes upon a New Zealand Flesh-Jly. 

 By W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S. 



[Read before the WeUlngton Philosoj^Mcal Society, November 12, 1870.] 



The following notes upon a Flesh-fly, commonly known to the settlers in 

 these Islands as the " Blue-bottle-fly," may not be uninteresting. I may premise, 

 that I have no means of compaiing its external appearance or sti'ucture with 

 those of the Blue-bottle-fly {Musca vomitoris) of Europe, and am, therefore, 

 unable to say how fa^", in these respects, it resembles or differs from that 

 insect, but the annexed descrijjtion of its external appearance (which I have 

 endeavoured to make as accurate as my limited acquaintance with insect 

 structure has permitted me to do), will probably enable those who are acquainted 

 with the English fly to determine the character and extent of difference or 

 resemblance between them. 



The head is blackish brown, with a few yellow markings upon the cheeks, 

 not sufficient however to give any general yellow tinge to the head ; surface of 

 the eyes clothed with minute soft hairs, the other parts of the head covered 



