THE ORIGIN OF THE FAUNA AND FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. 267 
21 species of land birds, of which six are enaemic, and of these 
four are representatives of New Zealand species.* The gold 
cuckoo is identical with that of New Zealand and Australia. It 
migrates annually to and from the islands, and Mr. Potts informs 
me that it has been seen at the beach at the north-west point of 
the Island, quite exhausted and wet with sea spray. This was 
in October, the month in which the bird always arrives. ‘There 
is, I believe, no proof that Apteryx, Stringops, or Ocydromus ever 
lived on these islands, and no moa bones have been found there. 
But on Pitt’s Island there is a flightless rail (Cabalus modestus ) 
allied to Ocydromus. There is one species of lizard on Pitt’s 
Island identical I believe with the common Mocoa zealandica. 
Also a slug ( Fanella bitentaculata) and a land shell ( Thalassia 
neozelanica), both of which are common in New Zealand. The 
flora has been tabulated by Mr. Buchanan in Trans. N.Z. Inst., 
Vol. VII. From this list I iind that 67 species of flowering 
plants are known, of which 12, or 18 per cent. are endemic. 
There is also one endemic genus. 
Now, when we remember that no lizards nor land shells have 
passed between Tasmania and New Zealand, and that very few 
plants are common to the two, although the distance is not 
much more than twice that of the Chatham Islands, it become: 
evident that our connection with these islands must at one time 
have been much closer than it is now; and the presence of the 
flightless rail and the slug point strongly to an absolute connec- 
tion between the two lands. This is again confirmed by the oc- 
currence of the migratory cuckoo ; for, as Mr. Darwin has pointed 
out, there are no migratory birds on true oceanic islands, that 
is on islands which have never formed part of the main land + 
The Antipodes Islands.—Distant from New Zealand 450 
miles. They appear to be entirely volcanic, and attain an eleva- 
tion of 700 feet. The only land-bird known is a paroquet, and the 
only plant known is Phormium tenax. 
Auckland Islands.—Distant from New Zealand 240 miles. 
According to Dr. Hector, these Islands are composed of granite, 
with tertiary sandstones, lignite, and volcanic rocks.{ They 
rise to 2000 feet above the sea. Theland birds are Harpa nove 
sealandia, Anthornis melanura, Myiomotra macrocephalr, Myios- 
copus albifrons, Anthus nove zealandie, Platycercus nove zealan- 
di@, var. aucklandicus, P. auriceps, and a rail said to be identical 
with R. brachipus of Tasmania. There is also a flightless duck 
(Wesonetta aucklandica), belonging to to an endemic genus, 
and a species of Mergus. Thereis aslug(/anella bitentaculata ), 
* CHATHAM ISLANDS. NEW ZEALAND, 
Anthornis melanocephala represents A. melanura, 
Sphenzeacus rufescens : be S. punctatus. 
Gerygone albofrontata - G. igata, 
Myioscopus traversi - M. albifrons 
Rallus dieffenbachii 
Cabalus modestus 
¢ Appendix to Mr, Romanes’ Mental Evolution in Animals, p. 359, foot-note. 
= Praus, N.Z. Inst. IL. p. 179. 
