xlii 
INTRODUCTION. 
beautiful little Warbling Parrakeet ( Melopsittacus undulatus), which, prior to 1838, was so rare in 
the southern parts of Australia that only a single example had been sent to Europe, but arrived in 
that year in countless multitudes. Or take the case of the Australian Moorhen ( Tribonyx ventralis). 
This bird, although not endowed with any extraordinary powers of flight, acting under some mysterious 
influence, left its home in the remote interior and visited South Australia in 1840, coming in such 
countless myriads that whole fields of corn were trodden down and destroyed in a single night, and 
the streets and gardens of Adelaide were alive with them. But the casual occurrence with us of 
migratory species from Australia is even more singular, because it seems impossible to assign any 
definite cause. In March, 1851, a flight of the Australian Tree-Swallow appeared at Taupata, near 
Cape Farewell ; ten years later they were observed again at Wakapuaka, near Nelson, and a specimen 
obtained ; and after a further lapse of fully twenty years another flight — from which a specimen is 
now in my possession — appeared for several days in succession in the outskirts of Blenheim. More 
recently, the Press Association announced the appearance of “ Swifts ” at the White Cliffs, near 
Taranaki, and on receiving the only specimen that was shot, I found it to be the true Australian Swift 
(Cypselus pacificus), a bird common enough on the Hunter but migratory northward, and believed by 
most naturalists to be identical with the species inhabiting China and Amoorland. The two instances 
of the occurrence in New Zealand, after an interval of twenty years, of the Australian Wattle-bird 
(Acantliocerci carunculata), and more recently, in both North and South Islands, of the well-known 
Australian Roller ( Eurystomus pacificus), are cases in point ; and other instances might be given of 
the mysterious, overpowering impulse, under the influence of which certain birds, without any 
apparent motive, perform almost incredible aerial journeys without a break of any kind. 
Another remarkable feature in the New-Zealand Avifauna is the inherent tendency to albinism *. 
Ihe condition itself is no doubt due to the absence of the colouring-pigment in the feathers; but the 
difficulty is to find any sufficient cause for this in a temperate climate like that of New Zealand. In 
India, as is well known, the tendency is in the opposite direction, melanism being of very frequent 
occurrence. 
Strange to say, there is the same tendency to albinism in the imported birds. Albino Sparrows 
* In the body of the present work will he found carefully recorded instances of albinism, more or less pronounced, in the 
following species, viz. : — Glaucopis wilsoni, G. cinerea, Heteralocha acutirostris, Creadion carunculatus, Myiomoira macrocephala, 
Anthus novce zealandice , Anthomis melanura, Prosthemadera novce zealandice, Platycercus novce zealandice, P. ciuriceps, Nestor 
meridionalis, Spiloglaux novce zealandice, Seeloglaux albifacies, Circus gouldi, Carpopliaga novae zealandice, Hcematopus longi- 
rostris, H. unicolor, Himantopus novce zealandice, Limosa novce zealandice, Larus clominicanus, Ocydromus earli, 0. australis, 
Porpliyrio melanonotus, Ardect sacra, Pludacrocora.v novce hollandice, Ossifrctga gigantea , Anas superciliosa, A. chlorotis, A, gibberi- 
frons, Podiceps rufipectus, Apteryx australis, A. mantelli, and A. oweni. 
To the above list Mr. Kirk has recently added Myiomoira toitoi, having described (‘ Ibis,’ 1888, p. 42) a specimen in the 
possession of Mr. J. II. Drew of Wanganui, in which the only indication of the normal colouring is a small patch of faint grey 
on one of the primaries, the whole of the remaining plumage being pure white. 
In my account of Anthus novce zealandice I have stated (at p. 64) that albinos, more or less pure, are of common occurrence. 
In the above-cited communication Mr. Kirk says of this species : — “ While travelling through the hush on the east coast of the 
Wellington province, I came on a Maori plantation, and was shown by one of the natives a Ground-Lark exhibiting a tendency 
both to albinism and melanism. The following is a description, jotted down in my pocket-book : — Top of head, and down as far 
as a line through the eye, dull black ; tho whole of the body and wings, with the exception of the two outer primaries, were a 
delicate creamy white ; the outer primaries retained the normal greyish-brown colour. The outside tail-feathers, which in an 
ordinary specimen would be white, were in this case jet-black. This bird, which was one of the most curious freaks of nature I 
ever saw, had been tamed, would come when called and allow itself to be picked up and examined, as though conscious of 
deserving attention on account of its extraordinary and fantastic dress. I endeavoured to effect a purchase, but without success, 
the Maoris appearing to set great store by their pet.” 
