BuLLEB. — OrnifJiolofj)/ of ISFeio Zealand. 219 



it has been provisionally named Strix liaastl in honour of that enterprising -f 

 naturalist. 



The natives are acquainted with another owl, of very diminutive size and 

 strictly arboreal in its habits. When our forests have been better explored 

 we may knoAV something more of this recluse species. At present it is 

 impossible to determine to what genus it belongs. 



In some species of birds, individuals from different localities present- a 

 slight but uniform variation of plumage, sufficiently apparent, although not 

 amounting to a specific difference. This is particularly the case with our 

 common owl. Specimens obtained in the Nelson Province are, on comparison 

 with examples from the opposite side of Cook Strait, invariably found to be 

 more largely marked with white around the eyes and on the feathers covering 

 the base of the bill. 



Fam. Alcedhstid^. — The members of the restricted genus Halcyon range 

 over the Indian Archipelago, Australia, and New Zealand. Two species 

 appear on our list, viz.. Halcyon vagans and 3. cinnamominus. The former 

 of these, our common kingfisher, has an extended range, frequenting alike 

 the sea shore, the outskirts of the forest, dead timber, and the banks of fresh- 

 water streams. It subsists chiefly on small ground lizards {Tlliqua zealandica 

 and T. ornata), but feeds also on field mice, insects, and grubs. 



The other species is of doubtful locality. It is quoted as a New Zealand 

 bird on the authority of Mr. Swainson, who, in describing it (Zoological 

 Illustrations, 1821), observes, "As far as I can ascertain, this beautifully 

 coloured bird is quite new and hitherto undescribed. It is in the possession 

 of Mr. Leadbeater, of Brewer Street, hy ivliom it loas received from New 

 Zealand, and who gave me the opportunity of now publishing the accompanying 

 figure and description." 



Fam. UpupiniB. — The form that constitutes the new genus Heteralocha 

 is strictly a New Zealand one. Only one species is at present known, and 

 this is becoming extremely scarce. It is the huia of the natives, and has 

 been appropriately named by Mr. Grray, Heteraloclia gouldi. 



This rare and beautiful bird is confined within narrow geographical limits, 

 its range being restricted to the Tararua and Euahine mountain ranges, 

 (North Island), with their divergent spurs and the intervening wooded 

 valleys. It is occasionally found in the Fagus forests of the Wairarapa 

 Valley, but never wanders far from its mountain home. 



The sexes differ conspicuously in form and size of the bill ; and the 

 wattles, which in the adult are a bright orange colour, are flesh white in the 

 young bird. 



Fam. Meliphagid^. — The honey-eating genera, as we have already 

 observed, form an important section of Australian zoology. Even a large 



