Oedee LIMICOL^.] 
[Fam. SCOLOPACID^. 
HIMANIOPUS NOVyE ZEALANDIJE. 
(BLACK STILT.) 
Hirmntopus novce zealandm, Gould, P. Z. S. 1841, p. 8. 
Himantopus melas, Hombr. & Jacq. Ann. Sci. Nat. 1841, p. 320. 
Himantopus niger, Ellman, Zool. 1861, p. 7470. 
Himantopus melas, Hutton, Cat. Birds of N. Z. 1871, p. 30. 
Native names. — Kaki and Tuarahia ; Torea-pango (of Arawa tribe). 
Ad. ptil. (Bstiv. supra, nitide virescenti-niger : subtus fuliginoso-niger, loris et facie lateral! pallidioribus : rostro 
nigro : pedibus craentatis : iride rufescenti-brunne4. 
Ad, ptil. hiem. dissimilis ptilosi sestivse ; pileo postico et cervice toto nigris : fronte, gutture et pectore albis : dorso, 
alis et cauda nigris : abdomine fuliginoso-nigro. 
Juv. similis ptilosi sestivae, sed dorso postico et uropygio albis : subtiis etiam albus : cervice et collo postico sordide 
cinerascentibus saturatius variis : interscapulio, scapularibus et tectricibus alarum nigricanti-brunneis, fulvo 
marginatis : primariis pallide cinerascente terminatis : caud4 cinerascenti-brunne4, rectricibus exterioribus 
versus basin pogonii interni albis. 
Adult in summer. Head, neck, and all the under surface brownisb black, inclining to slaty grey on tbe face and 
towards tbe base of lower mandible ■, back, rump, and upper surface of wings and tail glossy greenisli black. 
Irides and eyelids crimson ; legs and feet pinky red, tbe claws black. Length 15 inches ; extent of wings 
28'5 j wing, from flexure, 10 ; tail 3'25 ; bill, along the ridge 3, along the edge of lower mandible 3'25 ; 
bare tibia 3 ; tarsus 3‘75 j middle toe and claw 1'5. 
Adult in winter. Crown and sides of the head, hind part of neck, and the whole of the abdomen sooty black, or 
marked more or less with white j back, wings, and tail glossy greenish black ; the rest of the plumage pure 
white. 
A specimen in the Auckland Museum has a band across tbe shoulders, the scapulars, and upper surface 
of wings and tail black with greenish reflections ; the lower part of the abdomen black, without any gloss j 
the upper and lower tail-coverts black, with white feathers interspersed; rest of the plumage white, mixed or 
spotted with black on the crown and sides of the head, and on the hind neck ; the line of division between the 
white and the black on the shoulders and on the abdomen not distinctly defined. 
Young. Forehead, sides of the head, fore part and sides of the neck, and all the underparts pure white; crown 
of the head, mantle, and scapulars blackish brown, each feather margined at the tip with fulvous ; hind part 
of the neck and between the shoulders dark grey, mottled with paler grey ; back and rump white ; upper 
and lower surface of wings, as well as the axillary plumes, black ; the upper wing-coverts and the long inner 
secondaries margined with fulvous, and the primaries tipped with light grey ; tail-feathers greyish brown, 
the outer ones white on their inner webs, with an apical spot of brown. 
Chick. Covered with dark brown down ; bill and legs greyish black. 
Varieties. In the Colonial Museum there is a remarkable albino variety. The entire plumage is white, clouded 
with smoky grey on the crown and sides of the head, and on the upper surface of the body. There are a few 
