Oedee PASSERES.] 
XENICUS LONGIPES. 
(BUSH-WREN.) 
[Fam. XEN1CID2E *. 
Long-legged Warbler, Lath. Gen. Syn. ii. pt. 2, p. 465 (1783). 
Motacilla longipes, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 979 (1788, ex Lath.). 
Sylvia longipes, Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 529 (1790). 
Acanthisitta longipes. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, App. p. 6 (1841). 
Xenicus longipes, Gray, Ibis, 1862, p. 218. 
Xenicus stolcesii, id. tom. cit. p. 219. 
Native names. 
Matuhituhi, Piwauwau, Puano, and Huru-pounamu. 
J pileo umbrino : dorso toto viridi, uropygio lmtiore : supercilio distincto albo : plumis anteoculanbus mgris : 
regione parotid brunneft vix viridi lavatd : tectricibus alarum dorso concoloribus, vix flavido tinctis : ala 
S puri;t nigra : remigibus brunneis, extus olivaceo- viridi lavatis : cauda suprk olivaceo-viridi, subtus flavicante . 
mento albido : corpore reliquo subtus pulchre cinereo, pectore vix argenteo-nitente : abdomine imo et sub- 
eaudalibus viridibus, hypocbondriis olivaceo-flavis : cruribus brunneis : subalaribus et margme alari pallide 
citrinis : rostro saturate brunneo : pedibus flavicantibus. 
? dissimilis : supra ferrugineo-brunnea : uropygio vix olivaceo tincto : supercilio lato albo : subtus pallide 
chocolatina, bypochondriis et abdomine imo sordide flavis. 
Adult male. Upper parts dark green, tinged with yellow, shading into dark brown on the forehead and crown ; 
sides of the head black, with a broad superciliary streak of white extending beyond the ears, and then 
changing to yellow; sides, thighs, and rump bright greenish yellow; fore neck, breast, and abdomen 
cinereous grey, with a beautiful gloss (sometimes tinged with cobalt), and softening into greyish white on 
the throat ; lining of wings pale yellow ; quills, on their outer webs, and the tail-feathers olivaceous green. 
Irides and bill brownish black ; tarsi and toes pale brown. Extreme length 4 inches ; wing, from flexure, 
2'25 ; tail 1 (more than half of it concealed by the soft coverts) ; bill, along the ridge ‘5, along the edge of 
lower mandible • 7 ; tarsus 1 ; middle toe and claw -9 ; hind toe and claw '8. 
Adult female. Upper parts umber-brown, tinged with yellowish green, especially on the rump ; crown shaded 
with purplish brown ; superciliary streak white ; throat, sides of the neck, breast, and upper part of abdo- 
men delicate vinous brown ; sides of the body, flanks, and thighs dull lemon-yellow ; inner lining of wings 
pure yellow. 
Young male. Plumage generally as in the adult, but with the green tints of the upper parts paler, and the silky 
grey of the breast tinged with purple ; crown of the head and hind part of neck chocolate-brown, blending 
into the olivaceous green of the upper parts ; superciliary streak broad and conspicuous. 
Obs. The figure of X. longipes in the f Voyage of the Erebus and Terror/ which represents a bird with a white 
eye-circlet and an upturned bill like that of Acanthidositta, is copied from a rough half-finished drawing of 
Forster's (1777) and is strikingly incorrect. Professor Hutton, whose views are entitled to respect, wrote 
* Strictly speaking Acanthidosittidce is the right name for this family, Acanthidositta being an older genus than Xenicus, 
but I am unwilling to disturb a name that has already obtained currency. 
