47 
shaped structure as Gerygone assimilis. It may yet be necessary to recognize the existence of a larger 
and a smaller race, although the subject requires further investigation. My present belief is that the 
difference in size is only sexual. It may be considered settled, however, that the ascertained difference 
is not such as to justify a specific separation. 
Since the foregoing was written, Mr. It. B. Sharpe has expressed his belief that the bird brought 
from New Zealand by the ‘Astrolabe’ Expedition in 1829 [Gerygone igata, Quoy et Gaim.) is a 
distinct species. Being anxious to determine the point for myself, I lately paid a visit to Paris and 
examined the type. I was unable to find any character by which it could be distinguished from the 
common species. It is apparently a young bird with soft plumage ; there is no tinge of yellow on the 
underparts, and the dark grey of the upper surface is somewhat suffused with brown *. 
Strictly speaking, according to this view, Gerygone igata ought to take the place of Gerygone 
Jlaviventris, owing to its priority over the latter; but, in the first place, the name is a barbarous 
one and objectionable on that account, and, secondly, I am unwilling to disturb a name that has been 
in general currency for close upon fifty years. 
The two forms of nest above alluded to were thus described in my ‘ Essay ’ (p. 9) “ That of the 
smaller species is a compact little nest, measuring about 6 inches by 3 - 5. It is ‘ bottle-shaped,’ full 
and rounded at the base, and tapering upwards to a point, by which it is suspended. It is composed 
of a variety of soft materials — spiders’ nests, dry moss, grass, vegetable fibres, &c. The spiders’ nests 
consist of a soft silky substance, by the aid of which the materials composing the nest are woven into 
a compact wall, with a smooth and finished exterior. The entrance, which is situated on the side of 
the nest, is so small as barely to admit the finger, and it is protected from the weather by a very 
ingenious contrivance. It is surrounded by a protecting rim or ledge, composed of extremely fine 
roots interlaced or loosely woven together and firmly secured to the groundwork of the nest. This 
facing is arched at the top so as to form a vestibule or porch, while at the base it stands out boldly 
from the wall, and is nearly an inch in depth, thus furnishing a firm and secure threshold for the bird 
in its passage to and from the cell. The interior apartment or cavity is about two inches deep, and 
is thickly lined with soft feathers; and the nest forms altogether a well-proportioned and symmetrical 
structure, testifying alike to the skill and industry of the modest little builder. The uest of the other 
species is of a somewhat similar size ; but it is fuller in the middle than the one described, and is 
peai-shaped towards the apex instead of tapering. The materials composing it are of coarser texture, 
there is less execution or finish about it, and the ingenious porch, the peculiar feature of the one, is 
altogether wanting in the other.” 
A specimen of the nest, with a porch entrance, in Dr. Sisson’s possession, measures nine inches, 
and is produced downwards to a point, instead of being rounded as in the typical examples. 
* Having given the result of my own examination of the type of Gerygone igata , I think it is only right to quote, in full, 
the conclusion in an opposite direction arrived at by Mr. feharpe, in his notes to the ‘ Voyage of the K rebus and Terror,’ 
pp. 25, 26 : “ During a recent visit to Paris I examined, in company with Dr. Oustalct, the type of this species, which still exists in 
the Jardin des Plantes We compared the type with Dr. Buller’s figure and with the specimens of Gerygone Jlaviventris 
and we could not believe that the two species were identical. I take the following observations from my note-book : — ‘It is 
very close to G. Jlaviventris, hut instead of being grey on the throat, the latter is whitish washed with yellow, a shade of which 
is also apparent on the checks ; sides of the breast washed with brown ; abdomen white, the flanks washed with yellow. 
V ing l - 95 inch, tarsus ‘75.’ The tail is imperfect, but on the feathers which remain the white spot is decidedly more correctly 
described as terminal instead of subterminal. I mention this latter observation d apropos of the following remarks made by 
Dr. Duller in his great work : 1 In some examples the measurements are slightly larger, there is an absence of the yellow tinge 
on the abdomen, and the white spot on the lateral tail-feathers is terminal.’ The last-named author does not seem to allow these 
differences to be specific ; but I think that further investigation by the field-observers in New Zealand may prove G. igata to bo 
a good species, and I leave the matter in their hands.” On the other hand, Dr. Finsch, in a letter to myself, stated, as the result 
of an independent examination : — “ It will interest you to hear that the specimen of the so-called Gerygone igata in the Museum 
at Paris is positively Gerygone Jlaviventris,” 
