114 
Mr. W. L. Buller on the 
favour of Nestor occidentalis as a species, distinguishable from 
N. meridionalis “ by having the upper mandible more com¬ 
pressed and flat on both sides, with the tooth further out and 
the lower mandible not reaching it:” For my own part, I 
attach very little importance to these variations in the cha¬ 
racter of the bill; for that member is more or less variable in 
all the species of Nestor. 
Heteralocha acutirostris. 
Mr. A. H. Garrod, in his exhaustive account of the anatomy 
of this bird (P. Z. S. 1872, pp. 643-647), states that the tongue 
is “ slightly bifid at its apex and a little prolonged backwards 
at its lateral borders.” 
Halcyon vagans. 
Captain Hutton is quite mistaken in his remarks on this 
bird. I have myself observed it catching fish in the manner 
described ; and Mr. Potts, who is known to be a very accurate 
observer, states that “fish and Crustacea furnish some portion 
of its food supply” (Trans. N. Z. Inst. 1869, ii. p. 53). Nor 
do “ the rest of the genus subsist entirely on insects and Crus¬ 
tacea.” Hr. Jerdon states that Halcyon smyrnensis catches 
fish, “ for which it sometimes dives,” and that Halcyon pileat a 
“ feeds both on fish and insects,” Halcyon gularis is said to 
be a fish-eater ; and Mr. Motley declares that Halcyon coro- 
manda “ subsists entirely on fish.” Hr. von Heuglin states 
that Halcyon semiccerulea is “ more of a fish-eater than fond 
of orthoptera,” and that Halcyofi chloris likewise habitually 
fishes. To come nearer home, I may add that Mr. E. P. 
Ramsay, of Sydney, records that he has watched Halcyon 
sanctus “ catching flies from the surface of the water, and oc¬ 
casionally a stray fish or two.” 
PROSTHEMADERA NOV/E-ZEALANdIyE. 
The young figured in my work is from a specimen in the 
British Museum. My artist has somewhat exaggerated the 
white on the neck and given it too much of a crescent form. 
I must refer the reader to my description of the young (B. 
of N. Z. p. 88), where this feature is specially mentioned. 
