Cheeseman. — On Australian Roller (Eurystomiis.pacificus). 265 



published in 1843. The only specimen known to Mr. Gray appears to have 

 been one presented to the British Museum by Miss E. Stone. From 

 Gray's list the species was copied into all subsequent catalogues ; but I 

 cannot ascertain that any further examples found their way to Europe, 

 with the exception of one stated by Finscli and Hartlaub, in their work 

 already quoted, to exist in the Bremen Museum. With the history of this 

 specimen I am not acquainted. *^ Dr. Buller, in his " Birds of New 

 Zealand " avowedly bases his description upon Miss Stone's specimen. As 

 far back as 1856 there existed in the old Auckland Museum a single speci- 

 men said to have been obtained somewhere in the Auckland district ; but this 

 was forwarded to Dr. Pinsch for examination some ten or twelve years ago, 

 and has not been returned. None of the other museums in the colony have 

 ever contained specimens ; and although New Zealand ornithologists have 

 often searched for the bird during the last twelve or fifteen years, no further 

 examples were procured ; and doubts have even been expressed as to whether 

 any of the specimens mentioned above were really killed in this country. 



The two examples now exhibited were shot by Mr. E. A. Plumley near 

 Penrose, on the Manukau Harbour, early in December, 1880. In all, ten 

 or twelve individuals were observed, three of which were killed, but one 

 proved to be unfit for skinning. Mr. Plumley was kind enough to imme- 

 diately forward the birds to the museum, so that I was able to examine 

 them in a fresh condition. They proved to be male and female respectively. 

 Like all the specimens hitherto obtained in New Zealand, they are in winter 

 plumage, but show signs of being about to put on their summer dress. It 

 is not improbable that birds in summer plumage may sometimes occur here ; 

 indeed, I have had particulars given me by Mr. Plumley which seem to show 

 that this is the case. 



Aet. XXXV. — Notice of the Occurrence of the Australian Roller (Eurystomus 

 pacificus) in New Zealand. By T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S. 

 [_Read before the Auckland Institute, lith November, 1881.] 

 The Auckland Museum has lately received a specimen of the Australian 

 EoUer (or Dollar Bird, as it is often called in New South Wales), obtained 

 under circumstances which clearly prove it to be a straggler from the Aus- 

 tralian continent. The bird was shot by Mr. Charles Cowan, at Piha, a 



* Dr. Finsch has since informed me that he is by no means certain that this speci- 

 men actually came from New Zealand. 

 26 



