BuLLEB. — Ornitliolorju of JSTew Zealand. 225 



diet, but it also plunders the nests of small birds, devouring alike tbe eggs 

 and young. The pipiwarauroa, or shining cuckoo, is of a milder disposition, 

 and, like many of its congeners, subsists almost entirely on caterpillars. Its 

 cry is plaintive but musical, and is always welcomed by the colonists as the 

 harbinger of spring. 



This bird has hitherto been confounded with an Australian species that 

 closely resembles it. On comparison, however, it will be found that 

 they are quite distinct. The Australian bird is somewhat larger, the 

 metallic lustre of the plumage is not so bright, and the transverse bands of 

 the under parts are narrower and less brilliant; besides which, there is a 

 broad rufous band on the lateral tail-feathers which is altogether wanting in 

 our bird. 



Eam. C0LUMBIDJ3. — There is an interesting group of fruit-eating pigeons 

 (Carpophaga) dispersed over Australia, New Gruinea, Malacca, the Celebes, 

 and Polynesia. This genus is worthily represented in our lists by a fine 

 wood-pigeon {Carpopliaga novce-zealandice) , remarkable for its size and the 

 brilliancy of its plumage. It subsists almost entirely on fruit or berries, but 

 when these fail it feeds on the leaves of the kowai (jEdwci/ixlsia micropliylld) 

 or on wild cabbage. It breeds in the remote parts of the country, and, not- 

 withstanding the numbers that are annually destroyed, there is no sensible 

 diminution on the recurrence of the shooting season. 



Slight varieties occur, and albinos have been recorded, but there is no 

 reason to believe that any other species exists in this country. 



!Fam. TETRAOjS'iDiE. — Of this family, also, we have only a single repre- 

 sentative, and this is fast disappearing. Our handsome little quail (Coturnix 

 novce-zealandice) was formerly so abundant that in one locality in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Nelson Dr. Monro and Major Richmond shot forty-three 

 brace ! This occurred in 1848. It is now almost, if not quite, extinct in the 

 North Island, and is met with only in the unfrequented parts of the South. 

 Its place, however, is adequately supplied by the introduced members of this 

 family, the common pheasant and the CaHfornian quail, both of which. 

 Tinder the protection of the Legislature, have rapidly increased, and are now 

 probably more abundant in the North Island than the indigenous quail 

 ever was. 



Acclimatization Societies are now in operation in several of the provinces, 

 and the introduction of useful birds is every day gaining a larger share of 

 public attention ; but the colony is greatly indebted to the efforts of private 

 individuals, and especially to Sir Greorge Grrey, for many new and valuable 

 additions to its fauna. 



Fam. ApTEEYGiDiE. — The members of this singular group of wingless birds 

 are exclusively confined to New Zealand. Four species are recorded, viz. 

 29 



