266 . Transactions. — Zoology. 



secluded little bay about eight miles to the north of the Manukau Heads, 

 and on the west side of the Waitakerei Eange. When first observed by 

 Mr. Cowan it was feeding on the outskirts of the forest, and on being 

 disturbed flew noisily away. Later in the day it returned to the same 

 locality, and was then secured by Mr. Cowan. Mr. J. McElwaine, who 

 happened to be on the west coast at the time, kindly offered to deliver the 

 bird to me, and I thus received it in a fj:esh condition. It proved to be an 

 adult male, in full plumage. From the state of the long feathers of the 

 wings and tail, which are quite entire and unworn, even at the extremities, 

 it is obvious that the bkd has never been kept in confinement, and cannot 

 therefore have been brought over in some vessel. The bkd possesses con- 

 siderable powers of flight, and there is no great improbability in supposing 

 that it has crossed the 1300 miles of ocean separating the two countries, a 

 passage that is made every year by our little cuckoo ( Chrysococcyx lucidus). 



Mr, Gould, in his " Handbook to the Birds of Australia," observes that 

 the EoUer is a local species, and is chiefly confined to New South Wales. 

 He makes the following remarks respecting its habits : "It appears to be 

 most active about sunrise and sunset ; in sultry weather it generally perches 

 upon some dead branch in a state of quietude. It is a very bold bird at all 

 times, but particularly so during the breeding season, when it attacks with 

 the utmost fury any intruder that may venture to approach the hole in the 

 tree in which its eggs are deposited." 



" When intent upon the capture of insects, it usually perches upon the 

 dead upright branch of a tree overhanging the water, where it sits very 

 erect, until a passing insect attracts its notice, when it suddenly darts off, 

 secures its victim, and returns to the same branch. At other times it may 

 constantly be seen on the wing, mostly in pairs, flying just above the tops 

 of the trees, diving and rising again with many rapid turns. During flight 

 the silvery spot in the centre of each wing shows very distinctly, and hence 

 the name of ' Dollar Bird ' bestowed upon it by the colonists." 



The species appears to be purely an insect feeder. Mr. Gould remarks 

 that the stomachs of all the specimens dissected by him contained Coleoptera 

 only. This agrees exactly with the specimen now under notice, its crop 

 being distended in a wonderful manner with these insects. 



For further particulars respecting this interesting bird, reference may 

 be made to Gould's work quoted above. The plumage differs in no respect 

 from that of Australian specimens contained in our museum. 



