150 Transactions. — Zoology. 



of fbe platform tbe egg, or young, lies undist\irbed by tbe swaying caused by 

 the passing wind. 



Last January, in Milford Sound, the writer obtained several nests, in one 

 of which was a young one a few days old. 



Januaiy 9. — Nest near the Cledau River, in a sapling miro (Podocarpus), 

 about 18 feet above the ground ; it contained one young bird sparsely covered 

 with brownish yellow down, which was longest over the neck and bi-east ; 

 abdomen bare ; bill dull flesh, inclining to slaty ; round the eye bare ; 

 yellowish spot on upper mandible ; legs, feet, and claws leaden to flesh 

 colour. On the nest, with the young bird, there yet remained some fragments 

 of egg-shell and pieces of dung. The spaces and openings of the latticed nest 

 befit the dirty habits of the Pigeon ; as the excrement dries, j)robably most of 

 it disappears through the nest. 



The writer has a beautiful specimen of the nest from Litile River Bush, 

 Banks Peninsula ; it was built on a totara (Podocarpus totara), on a branch 

 covered with Loranthus micranthus, and contained one fresh egg (April l4th). 

 The egg, of pure and glossy whiteness, is of a perfect oval form, measuring in 

 length 1 inch 10 lines, with a breadth of 1 inch 4 lines. 



A Pigeon weighs IS*. lOoz. ; sometimes this is rather exceeded. 



In July and August this bird feeds on the Polypodium australe. 



No. A. %5. — CHARADillUS OBSCURUS, Gml. 



Plovei-. 

 In October last Donald Potts found a nest which contained four eggs ; 

 three of these were those of the Plover, the fourth being that of the common 

 tern, S. antarctica. 



No. B. Q5. — Anarhynchus frontalis, Quoy. 

 Crook-bill. 

 In the "Ibis," January, 1873, also in Dr. Bailer's book, i^age 219, 

 appear statements that the pectoral band is less conspicuoiis on the left than 

 on the right side of the Crook-bill. The fact is, that the shape of the pectoral 

 band is not very regular, and that the black feathers may be found to be most 

 conspicuous either on the left or right side in difierent individuals, as any 

 one can ascertain who looks through a series of siDCcimens when he may not 

 have the opportunity of noticing living birds. 



No. C. 65. — Thinornis nov^-zealandi^. Gray. 

 Masked Plover. 

 Tuturautu. 

 In the summer months this gay-looking Plover aSects sandy beaches of 

 the sea-shore. Near to the outfall of a river seems a favourite place of resort ; 

 there debris carried down the stream, and cast on the bank by the opposing 



