145 
hedgerows, all fugitives under a common calamity and becoming a nuisance by the very intensity of 
their hunger. 
The same thing happens, although in a less pronounced manner, with the Tui and Korimako, both 
of which species occasionally appear in our midst, all miserably lean and in a state of absolute starvation. 
What occasions this widespread failure of the natural food is generally a mystery ; but that such 
failure is the chief factor in the migratory impulse there can be little doubt. The case of the 
Passenger Pigeon in the United States is strongly in point. The movements of this bird are irregular 
in the extreme — completely disappearing from entire districts for years together, and then returning 
in prodigious numbers (in flocks of hundreds of thousands), the migration being regulated entirely 
by the scarcity or abundance of the natural food. 
In captivity it is very gentle and tractable, but it is far inferior to the larger red-fronted bird in 
its talking-capacity. One or two instances of its being taught to articulate words of two syllables 
have come to my knowledge ; but, as a rule, the attempt to instruct it ends in failure. 
Like its congener it nests in hollow trees, and lays from five to eight eggs, resembling those of 
Platycercus novce zealandice, but smaller. Specimens in my son’s collection measure -9 of an inch in 
length by -75 in breadth ; others are more broadly ovoid, measuring -85 by -70, and are stained 
yellowish white, probably the result of incubation. Major Mair informs me that he watched a pair 
of these birds breeding in the cavity of a dead tree for three successive seasons. The first year's 
brood numbered five, the second eight, and the third seven. 
As will be seen by the synonymy at the head of this article, there has been a considerable 
amount of confusion in the nomenclature of this and the preceding species, notwithstanding their 
strongly marked characters. I trust that the reference lists and full descriptions now given will, for 
the future, make it impossible to confound these forms with other members of the genus. As a brief 
review, however, of the types in the National Collection may help to elucidate the synonymy of the 
group, I will reproduce here the notes on the subject which I published in the ‘ Transactions of the 
New-Zealand Institute’ (vol. xi. pp. 368, 369). 
British- Museum Collection. — My examination of the types gives the following results -.—Platycercus aucklandicus 
not distinguishable from P. novce zealandice, hut smaller than ordinary examples ; beak decidedly smaller, being of 
same size as in /’. auriceps, but lighter at base ; ear-spots indistinct; frontal spot less extensive, but of same colour 
as in P. nova: zealandice. P. malher/m = P. auriceps, but smaller than average specimens of the latter. P.pacificus 
similar to P. novce zealandice , but much larger, with a more robust bill. P. erythrotis, from Macquarie Islands, 
= P. pacificus, but with lighter plumage. P. forsteri=P. novce zealandice, with the thigh-spots accidentally absent. 
There is another specimen marked “ Platycercus forsteri,” to which I shall refer again presently, in very different 
plumage. P.coo/cii= P.pacificus. P. unicolor, a much larger and very distinct species. P.rayneri, from Norfolk 
Island, is like P. pacificus, hut larger and with a more powerful bill ; the frontal spot is more extensive but lighter 
in colour ; ear-spots small and obscure as compared with P. novce zealandice. I think we may pretty safely conclude 
that P. rayneri is in reality P . pacificus, although the British-Museum specimen is both larger and lighter-coloured 
than ordinary specimens of the latter. Platycercus ulietanus, from the Society Islands, is very distinct in appearance 
from all those enumerated above. The so-called P. forsteri, before referred to, labelled as from the main island 
Otaheiti, appears to hold an intermediate position between P. ulietanus and P. pacificus. It has the general plumage 
of P. pacificus but of much duller tints, mixed with brown on the upper parts and clouded with a colder green on 
the underparts. It wants the crimson vertex ; but there is a frontal patch of brownish black corresponding to 
the colour of P. ulietanus, which changes to crimson in front of the eyes; behind which, also, there is a small 
obscure spot of dull crimson. It has the concealed nuchal patch of yellowish white which is found in P. pacificus-, 
while, on the other hand, it has the bright crimson rump which is characteristic of P. ulietanus. The tail has a 
dingy, washed-out appearance, and the colours of the plumage generally are very undecided. The bill anti feet are 
exactly as in P. ulietanus, of which species this bird may be an accidental variety, or possibly a hybrid. There 
is likewise in this collection a specimen of our P. novce zealandice, exhibiting much bright yellow mixed with the 
green on the abdomen and under tail-coverts. It likewise has the thigh-spots very large and bright ; the rump 
stained, and the tail obscurely banded on the upper surface with dull yellow. 
U 
