Ordee GEALL^.] 
[Fam. EALLIDiE. 
OCYDEOMUS BRACHYPTEEES. 
(BUPP WOODMEN.) 
Ocydromus hrachypterus, Lafr. Mag. de Zool. 1842, pi. 42. 
Ocydromus Jiectori, Hutton, Trans. N.-Z. Inst. vol. vi. p. 110 (1874). 
Ocydromus hracliypterus, Buller, Trans. N.-Z. Inst. vol. x. p. 214(1878). 
Ad. similis 0. australi, sed pallidior : supracaudalibus et scapularibus nigricanti-brunneo conspicue transfasciatis ; 
pectore superiore laBte stramineo : pectore medio cinereo tincto : bypochondriis et subcaudalibus distincte 
transfasciatis. 
Adult. Of similar size to O. australis, but having the plumage of a more uniform buff or pale olivaceous brown 
colour, with the wrings, sides of the body, and flanks more conspicuously barred with brownish black. 
Young. There is a specimen in the Otago Museum, just fledged, in which the distinctive characters described 
above are sufficiently marked. On comparing it with a fledgling of Ocydromus australis this became the 
more apparent, the former having obscure barred markings on the flanks, which were entirely absent in the 
other. 
Varieties. A specimen which I refer to this species, on account of the pronounced character of the barred 
markings on the wings,, is a singular example of partial albinism ; the entire plumage is pure white, slightly 
shaded with cream on the nape, excepting only the wing-feathers which are of the normal colours, and 
completely covered with transverse markings, the bars being very regular and distinct ; the tail-feathers are 
like the body-plumage, pure white ; bill whitish horn-colour, tinged with yellow at the base ; legs and feet 
pale brown. 
My late brother, Mr. John Buller, assured me that he invariably found the Alpine bird considerably larger 
in size than those inhabiting the plains, and of a much lighter colour. 
A specimen brought by Mr. Henry Travers from the interior of the Marlborough Province has the 
general plumage of a yellowish-buff colour, very obscurely marked and spotted with brown ; and among 
those obtained by Sir George Grey in the Otago hills, for the purpose of stocking the Kawau Island, I observed 
that one (apparently a young bird) had similar plumage, although it was more distinctly banded on the 
sides and flanks. Sir G. Grey informed me that these birds were taken by himself at an elevation of 6000 
feet, w'hcre they were found concealed under the tussocks or hiding among the loose rocks, the assistance of 
a dog being required to dislodge them. A specimen in my collection has the whole of the upper surfaee 
light fulvous shaded with brown, each feather having a subterminal spot of that colour ; the primaries and 
secondaries are dark rufous brown barred with black, and the soft overlapping feathers are fulvous, stained 
more or less with rufous and barred with black in their middle portion, margined and spotted towards the 
end with cream-yellow ; the throat, fore neek, and breast pale cinereous brown, mixed with fulvous on the 
crop ; the lower parts dull einereous brown, faseiated on the sides and flanks with narrow markings of 
fulvous. 
■ Professor Hutton regards this bird as distinct {Ocydromus troglodytes, Wagler), and says of it i — “ The 
distinguishing marks of this speeies are its large size, the general olivaceous tints of its plumage, the middle 
tail-feathers having generally a black streak down the shaft, and the primary feathers of the wing tapering 
towards tlie poiut.^' 
Obs. All the Woodhens in the Canterbury Museum (exeepting 0. earli and O.fuscus) appear to me to belong 
to O. australis. There is one marked (in Prof. Hutton’s handwriting) O. troglodytes, but it does not differ 
from the rest in any essential respect, although it is an unusually large example, and pale in all its eolours. 
