BuLLER. — On the Notornis. 239 



Every effort was made by Dr. Hector and others to retain possession of 

 it for one of our local Museums, and immediately before its departure from 

 our shores I wrote myself to the owner offering him fifty pounds for the 

 skin, but to no purpose. 



It will be interesting to watch its ultimate fate ; but as there are already 

 two fine examples in the National Collection, it will most probably find its 

 way into one of the Continental or American Museums. Although we have 

 failed to detain the prize, there is every reason to beheve that the species 

 still survives in the land, and that it will yet be added to the type collec- 

 tion in the Colonial Museum. It is a curious fact, illustrating the wide 

 range of a bird supposed to be nearly extinct, that the three known examples 

 have been obtained at localities nearly a hundred miles apart from each 

 other, and over an interval of thirty-five years. As the species belongs to a 

 gregarious family, and as the general character of its habitat is rough and 

 inaccessible in the extreme, I think it may be fairly inferred that many yet 

 survive to reward the future search of the Southern naturalist. 



The two fine specimens now in the British Museum (supposed to be 

 male and female) were obtained through the exertions of our former presi- 

 dent, the Hon. Walter Mantell, after whom the bird was named. The 

 first of these was captured alive in 1849 by a party of sealers at Duck Cove, 

 on Eesolution Island, Dusky Sound. " Perceiving the trail of a large and 

 unknown bird on the snow, with which the ground was covered, they 

 followed the footprints till they obtained a sight of the Notornis, which their 

 dogs instantly pursued, and after a long chase caught alive. It ran with 

 great speed, and upon being captured uttered loud screams, and fought and 

 struggled violently. It was kept alive three or four days on board the 

 schooner and then killed, and the body roasted and eaten by the crew, each 

 partaking of the dainty, which was declared to be delicious." The second 

 of Mr. Mantell's specimens was caught by the Maoris on Secretary Island, 

 opposite to Deas Cove, Thompson Sound. This also was eaten, but fortu- 

 nately the skin was preserved and sent to England to join the other, and 

 (as already mentioned in my " Birds of New Zealand") these members of 

 an expiring race, " having been carefully mounted by Mr. Bartlett, now 

 stand side by side in the National Collection of Great Britain, and, like the 

 remains of the Dodo in the adjoining case, daily attract the attention of 

 thousands of eager visitors." 



The third specimen to which I have specially to refer this evening, was 

 obtained last year, on what are called the "Bare-patch Plains," on the 

 eastern side of Te Anau Lake. The circumstances of the capture were 

 thus narrated to me by Captain Hankinson, on whose property it occurred. 

 A man who was engaged " rabbiting " on the run, had camped on the 



