BuLLER. — Further descriptive Notes of the liuia. 211 



also, wliich has likewise become well-nigh extinct on the main-laucl (Miro 

 lon(jipes), although not in siicli numbers as the former. 



The facts I have mentioned are interesting as furnishing another 

 illustration of the observed natural law, that expiring races of animals and 

 plants Unger longest and find their last refuge on sea-girt islands of limited 

 extent. 



Aet. XXII. — Further descriptive Notes of the Huia ('Heteralocha acutirostris.) 

 By Walter L. Buller, C.M.G,, Sc.D. 



Plate V. 



[Read before the Wellingtoii Philosophical Society, llth November, 1877.] 



Heteralocha. ACUTIROSTRIS, -BttZler. — "Birds of New Zealand," pp. 63-68. 



To the full account which I have already published of this rare species, 

 I wish to add the following notes : — 



Young female. — Differs from adult bird in having the entire plumage of 

 a duller black, or slightly suffused with a brownish tinge and with very 

 little gloss on the surface. Under tail-coverts tipjoed with white, and the 

 terminal white bar on the tail washed with rufous-yellow — especially in the 

 basal portion. Wattles small and pale-coloured. Bill only slightly curved, 

 as re^Dresented in fig. 1. 



In another specimen in my possession, apparently a year older, the tail- 

 coverts are without the margin, the white on the tail-feathers is purer, and 

 the bill is perceptibly longer, with a darkened tip. 



Young male. — In comparing a specimen received at the same time with 

 the above, the same general remarks apply, except that the under tail- 

 coverts are not tipped with white at all, while the soft feathers on the lower 

 part of the abdomen are largely tipped with pale rufous and white. The 

 pale rufous wash on the tail-bar is likewise more conspicuous. The bill 

 presents the outhue shown in fig. 2. 



For purposes of comparison I have reproduced in the accompanying 

 plate (fig. 3) my former drawing of the bill in the fully-developed female. 

 Fig. 4 represents a curious deformity, if it may be so called, in a specimen 

 which recently jDassed through my hands. The lower mandible having 

 been at some time accidentally broken off, the upper mandible had con- 

 siderably overgrown it, becoming somewhat thickened beyond the point of 

 friction. 



