335 
that at a recent meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Society, Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell brought 
forward some remarkable Maori evidence in support of the view advanced by me 
The number of species described in my former edition was 147. Of these two have been omitted 
in the present work, namely, Nestor occidentalis and Trihonyx mortieri, the former being now treated 
as a mere variety of Nestor meridionalis, and the latter because, as already stated (Introd. p. xiv), there 
is no authentic record of its occurrence in New Zealand. On the other hand, 48 species have been 
added. Of this number three new species were described and named by myself in the ‘ Transactions 
of the New-Zealand Institute,’ and four more are characterized for the first time in the present work. 
Professor Hutton and Dr. Finsch have each added two new species. Gerygone sylvestris, Potts, 
Ocydromus hrachypterus, Lafr., and Eudyptes pachyrJiynchus, Gray, have now been admitted as good 
species. The other additions to the list, 34 in number, are made up of stragglers from Australia, and 
species inhabiting the New-Zealand seas that have hitherto escaped observation. 
In the Introduction I gave the number of Cormorants (including two doubtful forms) as fourteen ; 
but, as fully explained in my account of Phalacrocorax Irevirostris (Vol. II. p. 169), I have since treated 
Mr. Sharpe’s P.finsclii as a mere variety of that species, thus reducing the number to thirteen. On the 
other hand, the number of Petrels has been increased, by a closer investigation of the subject, from 
thirty-three to thirty-nine. Of those now added only one is a new species, Pujffinus hulleri, Salvin 
(Ibis, 1888, p. 354). 
Those who possess my former edition, or who may otherwise have an opportunity of comparing 
the two works, will see how much new material has been embodied in the present one, the book 
having been practically rewritten and the amount of reading matter increased threefold. 
It must not be supposed, however, from this that there is nothing left for the future ornithologist 
in New Zealand. Most, if not all, of the species inhabiting the mainland (the so-called “land-birds” 
and waterfowl) have no doubt been pretty thoroughly w^orked out ; but a great deal has yet to be 
done among the shore-birds and sea-birds. Since the publication of my former edition, no less than 
38 species of this class have been added to the list, and even whilst the present volume was passing 
through the press several more have been discovered. 
I have described at page 88 (Vol. I.) the causes of the rapid disappearance of many of the New- 
• “ At the meeting of the Philosophical Society on Wednesday night the vexed question ■whether the Maori had ever actually 
known the Moa, or only through tradition, was briefly discussed upon a paper by Lieutenant-Colonel McDonnell, read by 
Mr. J. Park. The paper, which was entitled ‘ The Ancient Moa Hunters at Waingongoro,’ was ostensibly a reply to Mr. Colcnso, 
of Hapier (a gentleman who, as is well known, has always held the theory that the Moa was extinct when the Maori arrived from 
Hawaiki), who had stated that there was nothing in the stories or proverbs of the Maoris to show that they actually knew the 
Moa. Colonel McDonnell expressed surprise that a statement of that kind should have come from such a Maori scholar as 
Mr. Colenso. As showing that the Maoris had known the Moa, and had hunted and eaten it, he related an incident within his 
own experience which happened on the West Coast of the North Island in 1866. Sir George Grey (then Governor) was visiting 
the locality, and an old Maori named Kawana Paipai stated that in his youth he had joined his people in hunting the Moa on 
the Waimate Plains. In answer to questions, he described the mode of hunting, which was that when a party of young men 
started a Moa they pursued it until they were tired, when another party took up the chase and so on until the Moa tired, when 
it was killed with stones and sticks. Doubts were expressed as to the truth of Kawana Paipai’s statements, whereupon he 
became exceedingly angry, and said that if men were brought with spades he would show them where they could uncover the 
bones of the Moas from the old ovens. This was promptly done, and as Kawana had promised, about three feet down largo 
quantities of Moa bones were found among the old ovens. It was explained by Kawana that the Moa, when brought to bay, 
fought fiercely, striking out with its feet. The time when the old man took part in the hunt. Colonel McDonnell reckoned, would 
be early in the present century.” — IS'ew -Zealand Times, Kov. 1, 1888. ■ 
