24 
There are two specimens in the mounted collection, from the voyage of the ‘ Astrolabe, labelled 
Apbnis zealandicus , Quoy & Gaim., but without any habitat being assigned to them, the words 
“New Zealand” on the label having been crossed out. On referring to the original entry in 
MM. Quoy and Gaimard’s catalogue of the ‘ Astrolabe ’ collection, I found the following note under 
the No. relating to this species — “ Vani koro (New Hebrides) et New Zealand. Ihere seems to be 
no other authority than this for considering it a New-Zealand bird ; and I have no doubt, in my own 
mind, that the true home of the species is in the New Hebrides, the addition of “ New Zealand 
being merely a mistake in the entry, especially as there is no locality named. It is not the kind of 
bird that would rapidly become extinct ; and if the French travellers had met Avith it during their 
casual visit to New Zealand, it is fair to assume that the species would have been known to the 
inhabitants of the country. The specimen in the Leiden Museum being simply a duplicate from this 
collection, the same remarks apply to that also. For these reasons I again reject Aplonis zealandicus 
as a New-Zealand form ; but as one species occurs on Norfolk Island and possibly another on Lord 
Howe’s Island — within what is in reality the New-Zealand zoo-geographical region, although not 
within the scope of the present work — and as the claims of Aplonis zealandicus may again come up 
for discussion, I think it may be useful to place on record a full description of the species ; and as 
there is much confusion in the nomenclature of this and the closely allied forms from Polynesia and 
Australia, I will add the result of my recent examination and identification of specimens both at 
Paris and in the British Museum. 
As to the species itself being a good and A'alid one, I agree with Dr. Finsch, for although closely 
related to the other members of this confused group, the bright rufous colouring on its upper parts 
makes it readily distinguishable. 
According to the views propounded by Mr. A. R. Wallace in his ‘ Geographical Distribution of 
Animals,’ and noAv generally accepted, Norfolk Island, Phillip Island (or the Nepean group), Lord 
Howe’s Island, and the Kermadec Isles represent the minimum extension to the northward of a 
continental area perhaps exceeding that of Australia in extent, of which New Zealand in ancient 
times formed a part. The existence at the present day, or till within a very recent date, of a species 
of Kaka Parrot ( Nestor productus ) on Phillip Island, of a form of Weka Rail ( Ocydromus sylvestris) 
on Lord Howe’s Island, and of the great brevipennate Rail ( Notornis alba) on Norfolk Island, if not 
on Lord Howe’s Island as well, indicates beyond doubt a former land connection, because it rvould be 
manifestly impossible for birds of this kind to traverse a wide extent of ocean. That the separation 
from each other of these distant habitats, by the submersion of the intervening land, took place at 
a very remote period, is sufficiently evident from the extreme specialization of the forms I have 
mentioned, although undoubtedly referable to the generalized Ne\A T -Zealand types. From this point 
of vieAV, it might be deemed advisable to include the birds inhabiting these various islands in the 
New-Zealand avifauna, which Mr. Wallace has already practically done by defining the boundaries of 
the New-Zealand “ sub-region.” It will be found, however, on a closer examination, that, owing 
probably to accidental transportation and occasional immigration of individuals, over a long period of 
time, the avifaunse of these islands have acquired features more in common with Australia than New 
Zealand. This very instance, indeed, of the existence in Norfolk Island of Aploms fuscus (although 
not mentioned by Wallace) betrays this fortuitous relation, if I may so term it, of its ornis to that of 
Australia and of Central Polynesia. I have therefore decided to confine myself, in the present work, 
to the islands Avhich come within the political limits or jurisdiction of New Zealand, namely, the 
Chatham Islands on the east, the Auckland Islands, Campbell Island, Macquarie Island, and Anti- 
podes Island on the south and south-east ; and I shall only refer incidentally to the occurrence of 
allied forms in the remote islands to the north in my treatment of our local species. As the number 
of Plates is necessarily limited, I shall figure only birds that are actually found in New Zealand, but 
