46 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 



bird had been slightly wounded, but managed to escape capture. Sir 

 Walter had exhibited an albino tui. Now it was well known that 

 birds in New Zealand showed a decided tendency to assume abnormal 

 plumage. Nor was the peculiarity confined to native species. There 

 was in the Museum a black skylark; he had seen several specimens of 

 goldfinch exhibiting unusual colours ; and early this year lie had noted 

 a sparrow having white wing-feathers, black head, and normal-coloured 

 tail, while the whole of the remaining portions were a decided red. 

 This specimen lived with a large flock of ordinary sparrows about a 

 wool-shed on the East Coast. Could Sir "Walter suggest any theory to 

 account for these frequent freaks 1 Also could he explain the reason 

 why dimorphic phases of plumage were present in some species 1 



Mr. Richardson pointed out that on the Kermadec Islands the 

 mutton birds were so numerous as to form an article of food for those 

 who were unfortunate enough to live there. 



(2) "Notes on the Entomology of the Inland Kaikouras," byC Y. 

 Hudson, F.E.S. Perhaps one of the most beautiful of the many objects 

 that can be seen, on a clear day, from the hills in the neighbourhood of 

 Wellington, is Mount Tapueawaeonuku, standing pi-ominent on the 

 north-eastern end of the South Island, and having from Wellington a 

 south-westerly direction. It had often been my ambition, while col- 

 lecting on these hills, to cross the Straits and explore this fine looking 

 mountain which appeared so likely to be teeming with new and inte- 

 resting insects. How far my expectations were fulfilled will appear 

 from the following account of a visit I made to the district, in company 

 with a friend, last February. 



Leaving Wellington at three o'clock on the morning of February 

 9th, we arrived in Blenheim about midday, l'emaining there until the 

 following morning, when we left by coach for Kekerangu, where we 

 arrived at five o'clock on the evening of the 11th. The ride is some- 

 what uninteresting after leaving Blenheim, the country, which is very 

 hilly, consisting almost entirely of tussock-grass. It is absolutely teem- 

 ing with rabbits, as many as six or eight individuals being often noticed 

 at the same time. The only really striking features on this journey are 

 the gigantic escarpments cut out by the Awatere Biver. 



On the morning of February 12th Ave left the Kekerangu sheep- 

 station and proceeded straight up the valley for about a mile, where we 

 found the stream divided. Here considerable time was lost in taking 

 the right-hand branch of the stream instead of the left one, along which 

 the track to Mount Tapueawaeonuku goes. In these ravines, which are 

 densely wooded on each side, large quantities of Mecyna deprivalis 

 occurred, both as larvse and perfect insects. We also observed some 

 lovely specimens of Vanessa cardui, an insect that has been unusually 

 abundant this year in the Wellington district. About one o'clock we 

 left the bed of the stream, near a small galvanised iron hut, and 

 ascended the hills to an elevation of 1900 feet. The weather was now 

 very gloomy, and we could only obtain occasional glimpses of the moun- 

 tains between the clouds, which however appeared very imposing. 

 Absolutely no insects were to be seen, and at five o'clock we were very 

 clad to reach Coverham. 



