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Order CHAEADEIIFOEMES.] 



[Family CHAEADEIIM3. 



NUMENIUS YAHIECtATUS 



(AUSTRALIAN WHIMBEEL.) 



Numenius uropygialis, Gould; Buller, Trans. N. Z. Inst., vol. xxv., p. 60. 

 Numenius variegatus, Scop., Del. Flor. et Faun. Insubr., ii., p. 92 (1786). 



This species must be added to the New Zealand list. A specimen (now in the Colonial Museum) 

 was shot by Mr. S. Liardet in the Wairau district, and was presented by the late Mr. W. T. L. 

 Travers to the Museum. The bird agrees exactly with Gould's description of this species in the 

 'Birds of Australia,' but he curiously omits to notice that the sides of the body and under surface 

 of wings are conspicuously marked with arrow-head bars of blackish-brown, and that the long- 

 axillary plumes are transversely barred in their whole length with the same. This specimen 

 measures : Extreme length, 17 in. ; wing, 9 in. ; tail, 3'5 in. ; bill, along the ridge (following- 

 curvature) 2-35 in., along the edge of lower mandible, 2*5 in. ; bare tibia, 1 in. , tarsus, 2"25 in. ; 

 middle toe and claw, 1*6 in. 



The only other example I have since heard of is the specimen in Mr. Townson's collection. 

 This was shot on the Westport beach in December, 1893. 



MESOSCOLOPAX MINUTUS. 



(LITTLE WHIMBEEL.) 



Numenius minutus, Gould, Proc. Zool. Society, 1840, p. 176. 



I have added this species on the authority of Captain Hutton, who wrote me on October 25th, 

 1900: "A new bird has been added to our list of stragglers. The Little Whimbrel, Mesoscolopax 

 minutus. Two were seen last June and one of them was shot. I have secured this specimen for 

 our Museum." 



This very nomadic species breeds in Eastern Siberia and Mongolia and passes through Japan 

 and China on its migration to the Moluccas and Australia. In New Zealand it can only be an 

 occasional straggler. 



I 



LIMOSA NOV^E-ZEALANDI^E. 



(SOUTHEEN GOD WIT.) 



Limosa novss-zealandiae, Gray; Buller, Birds of New Zealand, vol. ii., p. 40. 



I do not think I have anything to add to my account of this species ; but an interesting dis- 

 cussion has taken place in the newspapers which is well worth reprinting, because it will tend to 

 keep alive the public interest in our local Natural History. Thus, the New Zealand Herald 

 published the following : — 



