FiNSCH. — Oil New Zealand Ornithology. 63 



and certainly not from tlie Cape. B. tristis was received in the Vienna 

 Museum lately from Dr. Haast (12) . 



Fam. CoRViDJE. — A third species of Callceas (oUvascens) has lately been 

 described by Pelzeln. 



A close comparison between Aplonis obscmnis and caledonicics, Bp., in 

 Bremen Museum, convinces me that the two species are one. Specimens 

 from New Zealand and New Caledonia show no such difference as to entitle 

 them to belong to different species ; another proof that there is a connection 

 between the ornithology of the two islands. 



Fam. PsiTTACiD^. — These (^Nestor superlus, BuUer) must be regarded as 

 great curiosities. So far as I am aware, there have as yet been no pure 

 albinos found among the parrots. 



Nestor norfolcensis, Pelz., from Norfolk Island, deserves mention here 

 also as an extinct bird. 



After my examination of the original specimens in the British Museum^ 

 I must look on Strigops greyi, Grray, as a well-established species. It differs 

 from the common species Qiahroptilus, Grray) by the broad, well-defined^ 

 greenish-blue borders of the feathers on the upper portion, the whitish bands 

 on the head feathers, the greyish-white feathers on the forehead and cheeks, 

 the nearly white stern and thighs, and the whitish diagonal spots on the 

 inner feathers and first pinions. (See Finsch, " The Parrots," Vol. I., p. 254.) 

 According to Mackay ("Ibis," 1867, p. 145), the Strigops Jiahroptilus ahounds 

 stiU on the west coast of the Middle Island, and in former times inhabited 

 also the Chatham Islands (Travers, " Journal of the Linn. Soc," Vol. IX., 

 1865, No. 35) (13). 



Mr. BuUer was not fortunate in his description of the Platycerei. As 

 it is precisely in this direction that I have made special examinations, namely, 

 on the typical specimens in the British Museum, I feel myself constrained 

 to make the following observations : — 



The longest known and commonest species in New Zealand is,— 

 1. Platycercus novce-zealandice, Sparrm. 



= PI. pacijicus, Gml. 



= PI. erythrostis, "WagL (Macquarie Island) . 



= PI. raynerij Grray (Norfolk Island) * 



2= Gyanoramphus novcB-guinecB, Bp. 



= PI. cooTci^ Gray (New Zealand). 



= PI. aucklandicus, Bp; (Auckland Islands); 



= C. saisseti, Verr. (New Caledonia). 



It iias a wide range, and inhabits, besides New Zealand, also the Chathani 

 Islandsj Macq^uarie, Norfolk Islands, and New Caledonia. I can compare 

 Specimens from all these localities, which have been ranked as distinct species. 



