BiTLLEE. — Ornifliologij of New Zealand. 229 



band and rufous colouring of tlie head and neck being less prominent. This 

 is the land-rail of the colonists. 



We have placed provisionally in this genus a rare and handsome rail, of 

 which a description has been communicated to the Philosophical Institute of 

 Canterbury, and of which only one example is known. It has been named 

 MaUus feafherstoni * in honour of the present Superintendent of the 

 WeUington Province. 



Two members of a smaller group inhabit our marshes and low river 

 banks. Their swiftness of foot, retiring disposition, and semi-nocturnal 

 habits render an acquaintance with their history difficult and necessarily 

 imperfect. The slate-coloured rail {Ortygometra tahuensis) is very generally 

 dispersed, and is said to exist in Norfolk Island. In the adult bird the eyes 

 and legs are of a delicate crimson tint, and offer a lively contrast to the 

 sombre plumage. The other species (O. affinis) is equally diffusive in its 

 range and apparently more plentiful. It is represented in Australia by the 

 Porzana falustris. 



The next representative of the family to be noticed is our graceful 

 pukeko {Porphyrio melanotus) . This fine rail is one of our commonest 

 birds. It runs swiftly and flies well, and consequently, unlike its more 

 feeble congeners, it thrives and multiplies in the settled districts, fre- 

 quenting the corn fields and potato grounds by night, and retiring to the 

 swamps during the day. It is easily domesticated, and is considered 

 excellent eating. 



Pam. Anatid^. — Our finest representative of this section is the paradise 

 duck {Casarca variegatd). To adopt the words of Macgillivray in treating 

 of the Casarca rutila of Europe, " it is one of those birds which one might 

 call a duck, and another with equal propriety a goose ;" but although the 

 genus approaches to Ghenalopsx both in form and colouring, it may safely 

 be placed in the group Anatidce, assigning it there a station indicative of its 

 approximation to the Anserince. It is very common in the South Island and 

 in some parts of the Wellington Province, but is rarely met Avith further 

 north. 



The other species are Anas siqyerciliosa, Alias chlorotis, Spatula variegata, 

 Fuligida novcd-zealandia;, Nesonetta aucMandica, and Hymenolaimus mala- 



* Mallus featherstoni, BuUer. — Crown and surrounding parts brown, variegated with "T" 

 black ; chin greyish- white ; throat, breast, sides of head, and a band over each eye, ash 

 grey ; quiLls and smaller wing-coverts rufous brown ; sides and flanks deep rufous brown, 

 beautifully marked with transverse bars of white. Abdomen and inner side of thighs 

 yellowish brown, obscurely barred. Scapularies and tail-feathers greyish brown, with a 

 broad dash of black down the centre of each feather. Extreme length 11 1 inches; wing 

 from flexure 5j ; tail 2i ; rictus f ; tarsus If ; hind toe and claw f ; middle toe and claw If. 



