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tions of the country ; and the following extract from a letter, addressed to me by Dr. Hector in 

 December 1866, would lead us to hope that at least one specimen more may yet be found to grace 

 a shelf in the Colonial Museum : — 



" At Motupipi, about three months ago, Mr. Gibson, who is a really good careful observer, 

 a capital botanist, and a new comer to the country, saw a bird within a few feet of him, in tall 

 swamp-grass, which, from his description, I have no doubt was a Notomis ! ! He had never seen 

 the plate or description of the Notomis ; and as he knows the Pukeko [Porphyrio melanotus) quite 

 well, there is no other bird that would answer to his account. I am going back there, and will 

 get further particulars about it." 



Dr. Hector likewise informs me that, during his exploration of the South-western portion of 

 the Otago Province in 1861-62, he met with some traces of the Notomis near Thompson Sound 

 and on the middle arm of the Anau Lake. 



