INTRODUCTION. 
lix 
Coloured Illustrations are given of the following species : — 
The Blue-wattled Crow ( Glaucopis wilsoni). 
The Orange- wattled Crow ( Glaucopis drier ea). 
The Huia ( Heteralocha acutirostris) , male and female. 
The Saddle-back ( Creadion carunculatus) . 
The Jack -bird ( Creadion drier eus). 
The North-Island Thrush ( Turnagra hectori). 
The South-Island Thrush ( Turnagra crassirostris) . 
The North-Island Tomtit (Myiomoira toitoi). 
The South-Island Tomtit ( Myiomoira macrocephala). 
The North-Island Robin ( Miro australis) . 
The South-Island Robin ( Miro albifrom). 
The Grey Warbler ( Gerygone flaviventris) . Figured 
on same Plate as the Long-tailed Cuckoo. 
The White-head ( Clitonyx albicapilla ) . 
The Yellow-head ( Clitonyx ochrocephala). 
The New-Zealand Creeper ( Certhiparus novae zea- 
lanclice ) . 
The Fern-bird (Sphenceacus punctatus). 
The New-Zealand Pipit ( Anthus novae zealandiae). 
The Pied Fantail ( Rhipidura flabellifera ) . 
The Black Fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) . 
The Silver-eye ( Zosterops caerulescens) . 
The Bell-bird (Anthornis melanura), male and female. 
The Tui or Parson bird ( Prosthemadera novae zealandiae ), 
adult and young. 
The Stitch-bird ( Pogonornis dncta), male and female. 
The Bush-Wren ( Xenicus longipes). 
The Rock- Wren ( Xenicus gilviventris) . 
The Rifleman ( Acanthidositta chloris ), male and female. 
The New-Zealand Kingfisher (Halcyon vagans), adult 
and young. 
The Long-tailed Cuckoo (Eudynamis taitensis ), adult 
and young. 
The Shining Cuckoo ( Chrysococcyx lucidus), with 
young in Warbler’s nest. 
The Yellow-fronted Parrakeet (Platycercus auriceps ). 
The Red-fronted Parrakeet (Platycercus novae zea- 
landice) . 
The Orange-fronted Parrakeet (Platycercus alpinus). 
The Kaka Parrot ( Nestor meridionalis) , with variety 
“ Ivaka-Kura.” 
The Kea Parrot (Nestor notabilis). 
The Kakapo or Owl Parrot (Stringops habroptilus) , with 
Alpine variety. 
The Morepork (Spiloglaux novae zealandiae) . 
The Laugliing-Owl (Sceloglaux albifacies). 
The New-Zealand Harrier (Circus gouldi), adult and 
young. 
The Quail-Hawk (Harpa novae zealandiae) , adult and 
young. 
The New-Zealand Quail (Coturnix novae zealandiae). 
The New-Zealand Pigeon (Carpophaga novae zealandiae). 
I have endeavoured to make the technical part of the work as exhaustive and exact as possible. 
After the diagnostic characters of each species (rendered, according to the usual custom, in Latin), I 
have given full descriptions of both sexes, with their seasonal changes of plumage (if any), followed 
by an account of the young, commencing with the nestling, or fledgling, and noting the various 
adolescent states of plumage in the progress of the bird towards maturity. Under the head of 
‘Varieties,’ I have been careful to record every appreciable departure from the normal character 
that has come under my notice during an acquaintance with this peculiar Ornis extending over the 
best part of my life. 
The measurements of each bird described are given in inches and decimals. In taking the 
extreme length my rule has always been to measure from the tip of the bill, following its curvature 
(if any) to the end of the tail. The advantage of this plan is that by deducting the measurements of 
the culmen and the tail, which are given separately, the exact length of the body may be ascertained. 
The same rule has been followed in regard to the claws wherever measurements are given. 
In order to make the descriptions intelligible to the ordinary reader, some knowledge is essential 
of the names usually applied to the various parts of a bird and to the feathers which cover them. To 
supply an index to the descriptive terms commonly employed throughout the present work, it may be 
useful to reproduce here, on a slightly reduced scale, the diagram given in my ‘ Manual of the Birds 
of New Zealand,’ the outline selected for the purpose being that of one of our commonest species. 
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