BuLLER. — Replies to Hutton^s Notes. 135 



telescope when feeding, neither have I examined the contents of the stomach 

 to ascertain on what they feed ; but it must be remembered that the curve in 

 the bill would not prevent the bird from eating insects and other animals 

 also." 



[Captain Hutton says he has never seen this bird run round a stone in the 

 manner described by Mr. Potts. But this is merely negative evidence. Mr. 

 Potts describes this habit from actual observation. Captain Hutton's principal 

 argument against it is, that " unless the bird is also furnished with some means 

 of seeing round a corner, it would not be able to see the insect it wanted to 

 catch" j but an essential part of his own theory of the use of the bent bill is, 

 that it enables the bird "to search over a greater extent of Algse for creatures 

 that it could not see, than if it used only the point of the bill."] 



" Nycticoeax caledonicus. 



" Dr. BuUer says that several instances have been reported of this bird 

 occurring in the South Island ; but both Dr. Haast and Mr. Fuller assure me 

 that they never heard of it. The only authenticated New Zealand specimen 

 appears to be the one mentioned by Dr. Buller as having been shot in the 

 Province of Wellington sixteen years ago ; but when I came to the Colonial 

 Museum I found two or three specimens, without labels, among the New 

 Zealand birds, and I somehow got the idea into my head that they had been 

 obtained in the South Island : this made me state, in my ' Catalogue of the 

 Birds of New Zealand,' that the bird was found in both islands, a mistake 

 which has probably led Dr. Buller astray." 



[Captain Hutton acknowledges that his only reason for recording this 

 species as occurring in both islands was that he " somehow got the idea into 

 his head." Statements made in this " loose and unscientific manner" are not 

 very creditable to a professed naturalist. My specimen of Nycticorax 

 caledonicus was obtained in the North Island, and I heard of two instances of 

 the occurrence of this bird at Hokitika, in the South Island. This was my 

 authority for including the species in iny work ; and Captain Hutton is, 

 therefore, mistaken in supposing that his " Catalogvie " had led me astray. 



I did not give any particulars of locality, etc., when I handed my collection 

 of New Zealand birds over to the Colonial Museum ; but a number was 

 affixed to each specimen, corresponding to that on my list. With Dr. Hectox-'s 

 concurrence, and for obvious reasons, all further information was reserved for 

 my own work, then in course of preparation.] 



"Larus scopulinus. 



" The young of this bird takes a year and a half to arrive at the full 

 colours of the adult. When one year old they lose the brown feathers of the 

 wings and back and assume the plumage of the adult ; but the red bill and 

 legs are not got until the second spring. 



