41 
plumes whitCj conspicuously barred with brown in tlieir whole extent ; primaries clove-brown on their upper 
surface, darker on their outer webs and towards the tips, light grey on their under surface, with dusky 
freckles ; secondaries marked like the scapulars, but with the spots on the inner webs inclining to fulvous ; 
the wing-coverts clove-brown, more or less tipped with white ; tail-feathers brown, barred towards the 
base, and the middle ones largely tipped with white. Irides black ; bill light brown, tinged with purple in 
its basal half, hlack beyond; tarsi and toes deep bluish grey; claw^s black. Length 18 inches; extent of 
wings 31 ; wing, from flexure, 9'75 ; tail 3’5 ; bill, along the ridge, 4; bare tibia 1 ; tarsus 3'2 ; middle toe 
and claw I'o ; hind toe and claw ‘5. 
Ods. Before the autumn livery is cast off the plumage of the upper surface becomes much worn and has a faded 
appearance, this being due to abrasion, the white notched markings being often worn completely out, giving 
the edge of the feather a serrated outline. 
Summer plumage. In every considerable flock there are individuals known as “ red kuakas.” These have the 
plumage of the upper surface darker and largely varied with rufous instead of wdiite, the sides of the head, 
throat, fore neck, breast, upper part of abdomen, sides of the body, and flanks bright rufous. This is a phase 
of the summer dress only. It should be mentioned that although, strictly speaking, only a seasonal visitant, 
a few stragglers remain with us all through the year, and that specimens are sometimes met with in a tran- 
sitional state of plumage. 
A specimen in Mr. Seebohm^s collection, in full breeding-plumage (obtained at Shanghai in May 1873), 
has the frontal streak, sides of the face, throat, the whole of the fore neck, and the entire under surface 
uniform bright rufous, pointed with black on the sides of the chest, uarrowdy margined with white on the 
flanks, and varied with black and white on the under tail-coverts ; the plumage of the upper surface is 
similar to that of the young as described above, except that the lighter parts are washed with rufous, which 
colour becomes predominant on the nape and upper tail-coverts ; the lining of the wings and the axillary 
plumes are exactly as in the young bird. M^e may take it therefore that this is the first nuptial plumage. 
A specimen in full summer plumage was obtained at Saltw'ater Creek, in the provincial district of 
Canterbury, at the end of summer or beginning of autumn. 
Albino. The following is the description of an albino shot hy myself at Ohau, on the west coast of the M'^elling- 
ton Province, in the spring of 1863 ; — The whole of the plumage white, tinged with brown on the head, back, 
and upper surface of wings ; tertiaries and the primary-coverts partially brown ; lining of wings, axillary 
plumes, and upper tail-coverts barred with pale browm ; bill whitish ; legs black. 
Ohs. In this species the length of the bill is very variable. A series of five examples, in a fine collection of birds 
made by Mr. W. T. L. Travers in the South Island, presents the following gradations in the bill : — 3 inches, 
3‘5, 4T, 4'4, and 4'5. The tarsi are of equal length in all five specimens, and there is scarcely any per- 
ceptible difference in the length of the wing. Nos. 1 and 3 are in partial summer dress, the former having 
scattered clouded spots of rufous on the underparts, the latter having the whole of the under surface stained 
more or less with rufous, especially the fore neck, breast, and sides of the body, where this colour pre- 
dominates. The rest are in full winter plumage. 
A specimen shown to me by Mr. Jewel, the local taxidermist at Christchurch, exhibited a still greater 
extension of bill than any of those mentioned above, the length from the base to the tip of the upper 
mandible being 5T inches. 
Drs. Finsch and Habtlaub, in their excellent work on the birds of Central Polynesia, have correctly 
referred our bird to the species described by Mr. Gould under the name of Limosa ur'opygialis ; but, 
as will be seen on reference to the historical synonymy given above, this name has no claim whatever 
to recognition. There are no less than five recorded names of antecedent date ; and, in settling 
questions of nomenclature, I shall, as far as possible, adhere to the established rule of adopting in 
every case the oldest admissible title. In my former edition 1 adopted for this species that of Limosa 
haueri', but as this name, bestowed by Natterer, was only on a Museum label without any published 
VOL. II. Cf 
