BIRDS OP NEW ZEALAND. 39 



SO ;" and the Editor adds this note : — " This bird is very probably the 

 same as the species from Norfolk Island, described by Latham as Gallinula 

 alba (Ind. Orn. p. 768, and Gen. Hist. ix. p. 428), the type of which is 

 now in the Imperial Cabinet at Vienna (cf. v. Pelz. Sitz. Ak. Wien, xli. 

 p. 328). Von Pelzeln has no doubts as to its specific distinctness, and 

 considers that it should be referred to the genus Notornis rather than to 

 Porphyrio, in w^hich view he is probably correct." 



'Ibis,' vol. ii. 1860, p. 422, we find: — " Notornis alba is established on 

 a specimen acquired at the sale of the Leverian collection, which was, 

 without doubt, the type of Fulica alba of White's Voyage (White's 

 ' Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales, p. 238, cum tab.), and the 

 Gallinula alba of Latham. This bird has been considered by Temminck 

 and G. R. Gray to be an albino variety of the well-known Porphyrio 

 melanotus ; but Herr von Pelzeln regards it as certainly distinct, and 

 probably referable to a second species of the highly interesting quasi- 

 extinct genus Notornis." 



Again (Ibis, vol. iv. 1862, p. 240), in Mr. G. R. Gray's " List of the 

 Birds of New Zealand and the adjacent Islands," we have : — 



" Porphyrio alba, Temm. 



Fulica alba, White's Journ. App. pi. p. 238 ; Phill. Bot. Bay, pi. p. 273 ; Callam, Bot. 



Bay, 1783. 

 Gallinula alba, Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 768. 



Porphyrio melanotus (albino var.), G. R. Gr. Voy. Ereb. & Terr. Birds, p. 14. 

 Porphyrio melanotus, var., Pr. B. 

 Notornis? alba, v. Pelz. Sitz. Akad. d. Wiss. Wien, xli. p. 331. 



" Hab. Norfolk Island and other places. 



" Entirely white ; but some differ in having bright blue between the 

 shoulders, and spotted on the back with the same. 



" In Vienna Museum, from the Leverian Museum. 



" It is stated that a similar bird was found on Lord Howe's Island, 

 which was incapable of flight. The wings of the male w^ere beautifully 

 mottled with blue. 



