L. Harrison 
95 
LIST OF HOSTS WITH PARASITES. 
Apteryx australis 
„ mantelli 
„ lawryi 
oweni 
„ haasti 
Stringops liabroptilus 
Rallicola (Aptericola) gadowi 
9i 91 >> 
,, ,, novae-zealandiae 
99 99 >> 
,, ,, gracilis 
„ „ novae-zealandiaa 
II. 
Ill view of the conclusions which have been reached independently 
by Kellogg and myself (vide Harrison, 1914, and references to Kellogg’s 
papers quoted therein; also Kellogg, 1914, pp. 259-60) that the relations 
of Mallophagan parasites are intimately bound up with the phyletic 
relationships of their hosts, a discussion of the significance of the 
occurrence upon Apteryx of the parasitic genus Rallicola is of considerable 
interest. 
I do not think that there can be any reasonable doubt as to the 
species described above being true parasites of Apteryx. I have collected 
them from skins of five species, and, in the case of two of these 
species, from several individuals. The only other Mallophaga found 
upon these skins were a few immature Menopon, which were too young 
to afford any idea of their affinities. I have examined the good series 
of New Zealand birds contained in the Cambridge collection, and have 
not foimd these Mallophaga upon any other form, save a single individual 
on one out of six skins of Stringops examined. This accidental occur¬ 
rence is easily imderstood, as Stringops and Apteryx are both nocturnal, 
and hide during the day in hollow stumps, etc. Occasional transference 
may take place when the two species are hiding together in one refuge, 
or even when one occupies a hollow that has recently been in possession 
of the other. The positive evidence is, therefore, fairly conclusive, and 
it is supported by the negative fact that no other Ischnoceran parasites 
were found upon the skins. No family of birds is without Ischnoceran 
Mallophaga, so that, as no other forms have been found which might 
be taken as the normal parasites, it is reasonable to conclude that the 
sub-genus Aptericola contains the normal Ischnoceran parasites of the 
Apterygidae. 
There can be no possible cj^uestion as to the correctness of my placing 
these parasites within the genus Rallicola. However much uncertainty 
may exist as to the value of the present classification of Mallophaga, 
there is no doubt that Rallicola is a good and distinct genus, well-defined, 
and clearly marked off from all other Ischnocera; and there is equally 
