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153 



The last letter received from Mr. W. W. Smith, who is visiting every part of New Zealand 

 as a member of the Scenery Preservation Commission (dated Botorua, November 12th, 1905), 

 contains the following interesting observations on the habits of this species :— 



I observed an article lately in a London journal on your work on New Zealand birds which induces me to 

 send you just a few notes. 



A week ago we were at the Hot Lakes and Hot Springs, Taupo, for several days. I was very much 

 interested in seeing the Ground Lark (Anthus novce-zealandice) walking about in the hot water flowing over 

 the beautiful siliceous terraces and feeding on the numerous diptera and dipterous larvae living on and in the 

 water. Some mornings there were at least fifteen of these birds wading through the hot, shallow, steaming 

 water flowing over the terraces. Pied Fantails were also numerous, flitting through the steaming air, sub- 

 sisting on minute flies. They were at times quite invisible in the steam filling the valley on calm days. 

 The Larks were there generally in the early morning ; but the Fantails were there all day, excepting when 

 the wind was too strong to permit their tiny prey to be on the wing. 



On November 8th we visited Ohaki and Orakei-Korako, on the Waikato. At the former place I observed 

 a pair of Pied Stilts also walking around the edges of the hot pools and fumeroles. Mr. Percy Smith 

 informed me that before the destruction of the magnificent Pink and White Terraces by the Tarawera 

 eruption on June 10th, 1886, he had seen thousands of these birds walking about and feeding on insects 

 inhabiting the hot water flowing over these siliceous masses. 



I may also mention that when at Eotokawa, near Taupo, we observed numbers of English Starlings 

 nesting in the holes and crevices formed in the perpendicular sulphur walls surrounding the circular fumeroles 

 and boiling mud-pools. Many of the walls, as you are aware, are of great height. They must, however, 

 be subject to great heat at times, as the steam and sulphurous vapour sweep up their faces. It is interesting 

 as illustrating how the introduced birds adapt themselves to conditions wholly different from those of their 

 former home. 



I am pleased to say that the Kiwis, including albinoes, are still numerous in the Kaimanawa Kanges. I 

 made numerous enquiries respecting them when at Tokanu. I hope the Natural History Committee of the 

 forthcoming Christchurch Exhibition will make a good display of the Native birds. They are certainly 

 working earnestly at present with a view to doing so. 



Oedbe PASSERIFORMES.] 



[Family MOTACILLIDiE. 



ANTHUS AUOKLANDICUS. 



(AUCKLAND-ISLANDS PIPIT.) 



Anthus aucklandicus, Gray, Ibis, 1862, p. 254. 



Although hitherto rejected by me, I feel constrained at last to admit the Auckland Island 

 Ground Pipit to the rank of a separate species. I have had an opportunity of examining 

 a series of specimens representing the adult male and female and the young. On com- 

 paring these birds with specimens of Anthus novce-zealandice the difference is at once apparent. 

 In the Auckland Island bird the white superciliary streak is wanting; the feathers of the 

 upper surface are not margined as in Anthus novce-zealandice, and the under-parts, instead 

 of being white, are of a fulvous cream -colour, slightly mottled on the sides of the breast 

 with brown. 



Vol. ii.— 20 



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