60 Transactioiis. 



comparative number o£ indigenous genera, of wMeli not less tLan nineteen 

 are confined exclusively to the ISTew Zealand region, viz., Heteraloclia, 

 Prosthemadera, Anthornis, Pogonornis, Xenicus, AcantMsitta, Mohoua, 

 Certhiparus, Turnagra, Callseas, Creadion, Nestor, Strigops, Apterys, Thi- 

 nornis, Notornis, Ocydromus, Nesonetta, and Hymenolaimus. Taking into 

 consideration the comparatively narrow limits of this country, it contains 

 more peculiar forms than any other, and for that reason occupies a very 

 prominent position. In the Sandwich Islands alone can any comparison be 

 made with Kew Zealand in this respect. 



To this originality may also be attributed the fact that the ornithology 

 of New Zealand stands in far more intimate connection with that of 

 Australia than one would suppose from the geographical position of the two 

 countries. 



The family Melipluigidis proves this assertion more than any other. This 

 family, so peculiarly characteristic of Australia, is represented in New Zea- 

 land by seven species only, of which only one {Anthoclicera hulleri, Finsch, 

 Mimus cmmnculatus, Buller) belongs to an Australian genus. 



Of the most remarkable genera of the family, as Ptilotis, Meliphaga, 

 Tropidorrhynchus, Glyciphila, Melithreptus, Myzomela, Myzantha, and others, 

 the species of which are so numerous in Australia, New Zealand, strange to 

 relate, cannot produce a single example. Among parrots, the peculiar 

 honey-sucking Trichoglossi are entirely absent, for which, nevertheless, 

 the Nestors might possibly be the representatives. Other families are no 

 less remarkable, as, for instance, Alcidinidae, Silviadee, Muscicapidas, Lanidse, 

 Corvidee, Columbidae, and Tetraonidae, which are very poorly represented, 

 "We are astonished to miss species from amongst the Malurus, Cisticola, 

 Sericornis,Acanthiza,Acrocephalus,Pardalotus, Monarcha, Myiagra,Microcca, 

 Eapsaltria,Pachycephala, Artamus, Campephaga,Cracticus, Ptilinopus,Turnix, 

 &c., examples of one or other of which one might very naturally expect to 

 meet with. 



The scarcity of birds of j)rey is in a great measure explained by the total 

 absence of mammalia. Still it is worthy of note that on the coasts which 

 abound so in fish, specimens of the genera Haliaetos and Pandmi have not 

 been discovered up to the present time. 



Nevertheless these are not by any means the most remarkable features 

 which characterize the ornithology of New Zealand. Some other pecu- 

 liarities must be brought forward which Mr. Buller has not touched on at 

 all, but which remain the more incomprehensible to us as they do not 

 receive even a passing allusion from him. I allude to the great poverty of 

 the swallow tribe of birds (3), Granivores proper, the shrike family, and true 

 crows. 



