42 



Zealand Institute' (vol. iii. 1870, p. 51) : — "Assuming Dr. Finsch's description to be strictly correct — that it 

 most nearly resembles Nestor meridionalis , from ■which it is only distinguishable by the broad yellowish-white 

 band across the underparts of the body — and considering the extreme tendency in that species to variability 

 of colour, I should be inclined to regard the British-Museum bird as an accidental variety of the common Kaka. 

 Among the numerous abnormally coloured examples -which I have seen, from time to time, varying from an 

 almost pure albino to a rich variegated scarlet, I remember one which, although like the common bird in its 

 general plumage, had a broad longitudinal band of yellowish white on the abdomen. The specific identity of 

 this specimen with Nestor meridionalis was unmistakable." 



It only remains for me to add that the examination which I have since made of the type specimen in the 

 British Museum has entirely verified this conclusion. It may be mentioned that this bird furnished Mr. Gould 

 with a subject for a beautiful picture in the Supplement to his ' Birds of Australia.' 



Var. 7. Nestor montanus, Haast. 



This is a larger race than the common Kaka, and is generally much brighter in colour. It appears to be 

 confined to the South Island, whence all the examples that have come under my notice have been obtained. 

 No doubt some naturalists will be disposed to regard this larger race as a distinct bird ; and for a considerable 

 time my own inclinations were in that direction ; but, looking to the extreme tendency to variation in this 

 species, and to the difficidty of drawing a clear Hue between the larger and smaller races, in consecpience of the 

 occasional intermediate or connecting forms, I feel that I am quite safe in adopting the views of so sound an 

 ornithologist as Dr. Finsch in refusing, for the present at least, to separate these birds. 



There are some beautiful examples of this larger form in the Canterbury Museum. One of these has the 

 crown silvery-grey; the sides of the head and neck washed with sea-green; the ear-coverts glossy golden 

 yellow ; the feathers overlapping the lower mandible, and the whole of the throat and fore neck, rich vinous red 

 with paler centres ; the nuchal collar very broad, and composed of various shades of scarlet and yellow beauti- 

 fully blended ; the breast and sides varied with crimson and yellowish olive, blending on each feather, and 

 across the former an indistinct pectoral band of yellowish grey ; the rump, flanks, abdomen, upper and lower 

 tail-coverts as in ordinary specimens, but brighter in colour. In another example the small wing-coverts are 

 pale orange-red, terminally margined with black ; while in a third the abdomen has a conspicuous, irregular 

 patch of canary-yellow. An unusually fine specimen forwarded to me by Dr. Haast for examination had the 

 forehead of a rufous-orange colour ; but this proved to be entirely the result of flower-stains, as I had no diffi- 

 culty in demonstrating. This bird measured 20 inches in length, wing from flexure 12, tail 7 - 5, culmen 

 2'75, tarsus l - 5. The plumage of the upper parts was faded and snow-beaten, the ends of the primaries and 

 tail-feathers being much worn and jagged. Crown and sides of the head grey tinged with dull metallic green ; 

 ear-coverts bright golden-yellow with darker edges ; breast and sides olivaceous brown, with a reddish hue ; 

 feathers composing the nuchal collar dull red, with golden tips ; those covering the shoulders marked in the 

 centre with a large irregular spot of red, and stained with golden yellow ; rump and upper tail-coverts dull 

 arterial red, each feather with a narrow terminal margin of black ; under surface as in ordinary specimens, but 

 more largely suffused with yellow. 



In another example of the southern bird (in my own collection) the crown and hind part of the head are 

 light grey edged with darker grey ; the feathers composing the nuchal collar are rich orange-red, narrowly 

 barred with yellow and black ; ear-coverts bright orpiment-orange, changing into deep vinous red on the 

 cheeks ; the feathers overlapping the lower mandible edged with black ; the fore neck, breast, shoulders, and 

 upper wing-coverts olivaceous brown margined with darker brown, and having, more or less, a green metallic 

 lustre ; sides, abdomen, rump, and upper tail-coverts dark red, banded with bright arterial red and dusky brown ; 

 under tail-coverts dull red, tipped with brighter red, olivaceous-brown at the base ; quills olivaceous brown, 

 lighter on the outer web, largely toothed on the inner one with pale orange-red ; lining of wings and axillary 

 plumes bright scarlet tipped with yellow, and banded, more or less distinctly, with brown; tail-feathers 



