in New Zealand. 
295 
much in habit, this being erect and almost invariably 
bifurcate. In this locality, too, I detected another fine 
species of Pterostylis , with undulated oblong-lanceolate 
leaves; which will rank between P. Banksii , R. Br., 
and my minute and truly elegant n. sp., P. collina . Its 
time of flowering had scarcely arrived when I passed; 
I gained, after some search, a specimen or two with 
unfolded perianth. Arriving at the water’s side, we 
found, to our disappointment, that we could not obtain 
a canoe, all of them being in use further up the harbour. 
As, however, we could not cross the water without one, 
I sent two of my natives to fetch it, patiently awaiting 
their return on the solitary mud banks. While here, I 
was much amused in observing the predatory habits of 
the metallic plumaged Kotaretare (Bacelo LeacliiiT ). 
Perched on an outstretched branch of a Mangrove tree, 
intently watching for the appearing of some unwary 
little crab from his hole in the mud beneath, the Bacelo 
quietly sits. Presently some ill-starr’d wight w T ould be 
seen peeping out of his dwelling, suspiciously recon¬ 
noitring about him; being satisfied that the coast was 
clear of enemies, he suddenly pops out and commences 
his irregular sideway run, when, swift as an arrow, the 
Bacelo , who has attentively beheld all his movements, 
pounces down, seizes the hapless little wanderer in his 
capacious beak, and returns to his station on the tree, 
with as much haste as if he knew himself to be a thief 
and trespassing on forbidden ground. I have often 
witnessed their mode of obtaining their prey, and hardly 
ever observed them to vary in the least, rarely venturing 
into the shallow water. Towards evening my natives 
returning with a canoe, and an old female slave to 
bale! we entered our frail bark and paddled directly 
