56 The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. [Feb. 
Writing of the European coot ( Fulica atra atra L.), Newton (A Dictionary 
of Birds, p. 103) says that “ though its wings appear to be short in propor¬ 
tion to its size, and it seems to rise with difficulty from the water, it is 
capable of long-sustained and rather rapid flight, which is performed with 
the legs stretched out behind the stumpy tail. It swims buoyantly, and 
looks a much larger bird in the water than it really is. It dives with ease.” 
Other ornithologists write to the same effect, and Horsefield ( British Bird 
Life, p. 385) states that the bird’s rate of progression on the wing when 
driven up from the reed-beds by sportsmen is equal to that of a rocketing 
pheasant. 
In this strength of flight and expertness in swimming and diving lie 
probably the explanation of the occurrence of the species in New Zealand. 
Driven out of sight of land by strong westerly gales, the bird would soon 
lose its bearings, and continue blindly on before the wind. At times it 
could rest on the water, and though death from exhaustion would probably 
be the most frequent end, yet an occasional fortunate individual might 
reach the shores of New Zealand. 
There is another factor which might favour the coot in its long journey. 
Wilson ( American Ornithology, vol. 3, p. 84) states that the American coot 
(Fulica atra americana Gmelin) is often excessively fat, and the Australian 
coot shot at Mataura Island was also very fat. Though not perhaps con¬ 
ducive to long-sustained flight, the good condition of a bird would probably 
be of advantage where rest could be taken at intervals. 
That an indigenous coot formerly existed in this country is known. 
A. Hamilton {Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 25, p. 98) describes Fulica prisca from 
numerous bones found at Castle Rock. But F. prisca was a much larger 
bird than F. tasmanica, approaching nearer to Notornis in dimensions. 
Colenso’s coot (F. novae-zealandiae Colenso), of which the type specimen was 
released by the describer, was captured in 1845, and since that date nothing- 
definite has been heard of the species, though A. Hamilton [Trans. N.Z. 
Inst., vol. 25, p. 98) mentions that he “ had a report from a sportsman 
who killed a small bird answering to Mr. Colenso’s description in a swamp 
near Wanganui, but by an accident the specimen was lost.” 
Colenso’s coot, from the description given, could not have been F. tas¬ 
manica, so that we have apparently had at least two coots in New Zealand 
both of which are now extinct. This has some bearing on the question as 
to why, if occasional specimens of F. tasmanica reach these islands, the 
species has not succeeded in establishing itself. It may be that there 
exists in the present environment factors inimical to the genus. 
Entomological Mews, by G. V. Hudson, F.E.S., F.N.Z.Inst. 
In the Transactions, Entomological Society of London, for 1919, Part I, 
issued on the 15th August last, the first article is by Dr. H. Eltringham, 
on the subject of butterfly vision. In this paper the author points out 
that his interest in the subject was first aroused by the elaborate investi¬ 
gations made by the German physiologist Hess, who makes the startling- 
announcement that all insects, or at least all those on which he experimented, 
are totally colour-blind. In connection with this statement Dr. Eltring¬ 
ham remarks that “ so far as butterflies are concerned colour would seem 
to be inseparably associated with their very existence ; and to be told, 
with alleged weight of evidence, that their own colours and those of their 
surroundings have for them no existence is to receive a rude shock to our 
most cherished traditions.” 
In the first part of his paper Dr. Eltringham gives a very full account 
of the structure of the compound faceted eye of butterflies, and incidentally 
