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pearing, but the lengthened plumes with the white pencilled markings still wanting, these being characteristic 
of the fully adult plumage ; chin whitish grey ; lower part of neck and crop dull rufous brown ; the breast, 
sides, and flanks much sulFused with brown, and the white of the underparts without any lustre; upper 
parts greyish brown without any gloss. 
Varieties. The following is a description of an albino presented to the Canterbury Museum by Mr. Thomas 
Waters :-General plumage pure white, the sides of the head and throat shaded with brown; crown, nape, 
and hind neck streaked and spotted with black ; fore neck and breast varied with pale rufous ; shoulders, back, 
and scapulars with numerous scattered black feathers, giving the upper surface a pied appearance; wings dusky 
black more or less varied with white ; bill and feet of the normal colours. Another abnormally coloured 
speciLn in the same collection has the whole of the underparts dark buff, deepening into dull chestnut- 
brown on the breast and fore neck ; the crown of the head and nape black with steel-blue reflexions, and 
with abundant white hair-like plumes on the vertex and occipital region all round. 
Remarks. In this species there is no true crest, but the plumage of the crown and upper sides of the head is 
very soft and the shafts are produced into hair-like filaments, the whiteness of which renders them more 
conspicuous. In place of a tail there is a tuft of black silky feathers about an inch in length. The toes 
are armed with flattened claws, resembling the human finger-nail ; and that of the middle toe has a pectinate 
edge. The tongue is large and fleshy, filling the cavity of the lower mandible ; and the palate is armed with 
two convergent rows of papillse directed backwards. 
Evert country appears to possess at least one species of Dabchick ; and the group does not admit 
of very much variety. The form inhabiting New Zealand, although readily distinguishable as a 
species, is very similar to Podiceps nestor of Australia; and its habits of life are precisely the same. 
It is very abundant in all the freshwater lakes and lagoons of the South Island, and equally so in the 
southern portions of the North Island. Strange to say, however, although the physical conditions of 
the country are the same, till late years it was rarely or never met with in the far north ; indeed the 
only instance that had come to my knowledge of its occurrence in the district north of Auckland 
before 1869 was that of a pair shot by Major Mair in the Hurupaki lake (Whangarei) as far back as 
1852. One of these was sent to Europe ; and the other is in my old type collection in the Colonial 
Museum. Its rarity in that part of the country may be inferred from the fact that the Ketenikau 
and other neighbouring natives had never seen or heard of the bird before. In 1869, however. 
Major Mair on visiting Kotokawau, a very pretty lake at the far north, between Te Awanui and 
Doubtless Bay, found the Dabchick comparatively plentiful there ; of late years it appears to ave 
become even more so. The following is another interesting fact in connection with its local range 
Mount Edgecumhe is a high volcanic cone on the banks of the Kangitaiki river some hfteen mi es from 
the sea. At the bottom of the now extinct crater there is a small pool of water about thirty yaids 
across. In this pool Captain G. Mair, in 1868, observed three of these Dabchmks disporting 
themselves Some months after the same number was seen again in the same place by Dr. Nesbitt and 
Dr. Manley, and again by another party of visitors a considerable time afterwards There are lagoons 
at the foot of the mountain frequented by these birds ; but the singular fact is that those inhabiting 
the basin must have climbed up the cone, which is thickly covered on the outside with dense scrubby 
vegetation, and then into the crater, which contains a heavy forest-growth right down to t e ^ 
of the pool. 
Like the other members of the group, it dives with amazing agility, and unless taken by surprise 
will effectually dodge the gun by disappearing under the surface at the first flash, and be oi e tie 
charc^e of shot has reached it. It is capable of remaining under water a considerable ; an 
when wounded, it hides by submerging the body and leaving only its bill and nostrils expose . en 
hunting for its food, which consists of small mollusca, among the aquatic plants at t e (Atom o t e 
VOL. n. 
