;
rufous ; u nder tail-coverts p a le rufous, banded transversely
with black.
Length, 1 foot 6^ inches ; bill from gape, 2 inches ;
wings, 9 inche s ; tarsi, 2 inches.
“ H a b ita t in Novæ Zeelandiæ insula australi, imprimis
in P o rtu Obscuro numerosissimæ, p e r omnia littora maiis
dispersas, imo in minimis insulis a nobis sunt inventæ, et
quod minim alas h ab e u t brevissimas nec unquam volare
tentant, ñeque ob pedes fissos nata re queunt, adeo u t difficile
sit dictu qua ratione in omnes pervenerint Ínsulas. In
cavitatibus sub avborum radicibus degunt, e t æstu rece-
dente ad littora m aris excurrunt, cancellos e t varios vermes
lecturæ, c e lemme cursitant, gallinanim more ruspantur
humum e t in quisquiliis victum querunt, no ctu e t tempore
pluvio misere clamant. Caro earum sapidissima, præ sertim
cute detra cta.” Forster.
Tliese birds, which bear the name of Weka, observes Mr.
P. E a rl, are found in both isla n d s ; they are usually seen in
what is called open country, i. e. in long grass or thickets
of low bushes, where they can easily spring on small birds
perched n ea r th e ground. Mr. E a r l b rought one o f the
South Is lan d birds home alive ; a small living b ird was the
greatest tre a t he could give him : they also feed upon b e rries.
In th e twilight or moonlight is the b est time to find
them. T h e brood generally consists o f three to five young
ones, which follow the p arent untU nearly full grown : at
h a lf growth they ai-e of a lig h t sandy colour. I t is known
to the settlers by the name o f Wood Hen .
O c y d r o m u s D i e f f e n b a c h i i .
P la te 15.
Rallus Dieffenbachii, G. R. Gray, D ie ff. Trav. N . Z .
A p p . p . 197.
Back olive brown, irregularly b anded with buff and
black ; th e bre ast and lower posterior p a rt o f th e neck and
breast rufous yellow banded transversely with b lack ; quills,
secondaries and under tail-coverts deep rufous, banded
with black ; lower p art of the breast, abdomen, sides and
jugulum black, b anded with white ; top and h in d p a rt of
h ead , cheeks and a streak below the eye, olive-brown, the
two la s t tinged with rufous ; a b an d from th e nostrils to
th e middle above the eye, white ; the continuation o f this
band behind th e eye and th ro at grey, but white beneath
th e b ill ; tail dark broira , with longitudinal streaks o f deep
rufous n ea r the base.
L engih, 12^ in ch e s; bill from gape , 14 in ch ; wings 5
inches ; tarsi, 14 inch.
The specimen was obtained by Dr. Dieffenbach a t Chatham
Island, where it is known by th e name o f Moeriki.
R a l l u s a s s im il is .
Rallus assimilis, G. R . Gray, D ieff. Trav. N . Z . App.
197.
Blackish browu, ea ch feather broadly margined with
brownish olive ; feathers o f the nap e and wings spotted
with white suiTOunded with black ; quills brownish black,
b anded with rufous ; eyebrows, cheeks and neck before,
grey ; throat white ; bre ast and sides o f body black and
white b anded ; abdomen and u n d e r tail-coverts huffy
w h ite ; breast with a transverse irregular band o f b u ff; a
b an d from th e base o f u p p e r m andible passing through the
eyes, down th e neck, and extending round the nape, brown
varied with rufous.
Length, 124 in c h e s ; hill from gape. I f in c h e s; wings,
6 inches 4 lines ; tarsi, l4 inch.
The pectoral buff b an d on the breast, and the rufous colour
o f th e cheeks and on the sides of the neck, are much
less prominent than on th e Australian specimens, otherwise
these birds are very similar.
Dr. Dieffenbach says, this is th e Koiiini o f th e natives
o f Cook’s Straits ; b u t in some p arts o f New Zealand it is
called Katatai.
O r t y g o m e t r a a f f in i s .
Back and tail black, varied with spots o f white ; top of
head, sides and back of neck, wing-coverts and tertials
black, greatly margined with rufous Ijrown ; quills and secondaries
brownish b la c k ; sides o fh e a d , th ro at and breast
grey, feathers o f the two la tte r margined with pale rufous
brown ; abdomen and under tail-coverts black, narrowly
fasciated with white.
Length, 74 in ch e s; b ill from gape, 9 lin e s ; wings, 34
in c h e s ; tarsi, 13 lines.
T h is species is most like R . p a lu stris o f M r. Gould, but
it has not any white spots on the primaries, and th e bill
appears to be ra the r longer.
The specimen was brought by Mr. P . E a rl, who states
th a t it was shot on the banks of Nanganiii River, in the
North Island.
O r t y g o m e t r a TABUENSIS. .
Rallus minutus, Forst. Desc. A n im . p. 178. Icon. ined.
130.
T ab u a n Rail, L a th . S yn . v. 235.
Rallus tabuensis, Gmel. Syst. \. 717.
Crex plúmbea, Gray, Gr iff. An. K ingd. iii. 400.
Plumbeous ; th e back and wings purplish b la c k ; u nder
tail-coverts plumbeous, banded with white.
Length, 6^ in c h e s ; bill from gape, 9 lin e s ; wings, 3
inches 2 lin e s; tarsi, 13 lines.
The natives o f Otago, South Island, informed Mr. P.
Eavl, that this was very rare, and th a t b u t a few o f them
knew the name, which is Mehotatai. I t frequents the
swamps or the sides o f small water-runs.
Subfamily, GallinuUnx.
PORPHYRIO MELANOTUS.
Porphyrio melanotus, Temm. Man. d ' Orn. ii. 701.
F úlic a alba, L a th . White's Journ. t. 138 (albino variety).
H e ad , back and wings deep shining b la c k ; neck, breast
and outer margins of wings indigo blue ; abdomen sooty
b la c k ; u nder tail-coverts pure white.
Length, 1 foot 5 inches ; bill from gape, 1 inch 7 lines ;
wings, 10 in ch e s; tarsi, 3 inches 8 lines.
The head o f the female or young is blackish grey.
This bird is th e Pukeko of the natives, according to Mr.
Yate, while a t Matainéka, Soulh Island, says Mr. P . Earl,
it is named Pakura. In the summer months these birds
are found in th e fresh-water lagoons n ea r the s e a ; and
th ey are seldom seen in winter.
aquarum dulciura semper reperta.” Forster.
FFooir ster pl..a..c..e..d... ..o...n.. .t..h..e.. ..d..r..a..w....i.n..g... .o...f. ..t.h...i.s.. ..b..i.r..d. the name of
Pooa diigghie dugghie, b u t Dr. Dieffenbach says it is the
Putangi tangi of the natives (North Island, Mr. P. Earl),
and the Paradise Duck of the settlers. “ At Mataineka,
Soulh Island,” says Mr. P . E a rl, “ it is termed Putakitaki-,.
and is an exceedingly wild bird. They breed near the sea
shore, so th a t at the approach o f danger they run into the
su rf with their young, which vary from six to twelve in
number, and are black and white. Flesh coarse and unpalatable.”
A n a s s d p e e c il io s a .
Anas superciliosa, Gmel. Sgst. N a t. i. 537.
Anas Iciicophrys, Forst. Desc. A n im . p. 93. Icon. ined.
1. 77.
Supercilious Duck, J.^ath. Syn. vi. 497.
Brown, each feather margined with ochre w h ite ; eye-
br ow_ s, cheeks« a„nJd_ _u_pp er p a r t of nec1k_ w1h ite or ye1l1l_o_w_i1s-1h.
white ; cheeks with two small bauds o f blackish brown,
one o f which passes through the eye ; the quills obscure
brown, with the speculum bright gi-een, margined above
and below with b lack ; tail brown, margined with white.
Length, 1 foot 10 inches; bill from gape, 14 inch ; wings
.10 inches 4 lines ; tarsi, 1 ioch 3 lines.
“ H a b ita t in insula australi Novæ Zeelandiæ, in P o rla
Obscuro e t in Æstuario Reginæ Charlottæ.” Forster.
This duck is the He Pavrera or Pare ra o f the natives,
and is scattered throughout New Zealand, Chatham and
Campbell Islands.
Family, A n a t id æ .
Subfamily, A n a tin x .
C a sa r ca v a r ie g a t a .
Pla te 16.
Anas cheneros, Forst. Desc. A n im . p . 92. Icon. ined. 67.
Variegated Goose, L a th . S yn. vi. 441.
Anas variegata, Gmel. Syst. N a t. i. 505.
Casarca castanea, E y to n , Monogr. Anatidæ, p i. p . 108,
(young).
Male. He ad and neck shining green-black ; bre ast and
nape black, vermicolated with rufous ; back, posterior part
o f breast an d sides black, verraiculated with white ; abdomen
ferruginous, with bands and vermiculations o f b la c k ;
under tail-coverts ferruginous, varied with pale r ; uropygium
an d tail shining black ; wing-coverts pure white ; secondaries
shining green ; tertials with the outer webs ferruginous
and the inner ones cinereous.
Length, 2 fe e t; bill from gape, 2 in ch e s; wings, 1 foot
24 inches ; tarsi, 24 inches.
T h e female is similar to th e male, exc ept th at the head
and part o f the neck are pure white; th e breast and nape
are ferruginous, varied on th e margins with black. The
young birds differ by being entirely castaneous beneath,
undulated on the abdomen with black.
“ Hab ita t in australis insulæ Novæ Zeelandiæ Portu
Obscuro. Semper p er p aria a me observala, hide suspicor
eandara esse monogamara. Mas sonum streperura instar
crotali edit. Difficiles accessu. Ad ostia rivulorum et
A n a s c h l o r o u s .
P la te 20.
Top o f head black, margined with rufous ; back o f neck
and nape greyish brown ; back and wing-coverts greyish
brown, more or less margined with pale rufous white ; secondaries
the same, b u t with blotches o f b la c k ; chcek.s
and beneath pale rufous while, darkest on the fore p a rt and
sides of breast, from whence to the vent spotted with black;
under tail-coverts black, varied with dark ferruginous; the
region of the ears tinged with g re en ; quills blackish b rovm;
the speculum black tinged with green, and bordered above
and below with rufous white.
T h e female differs by the under side b ein g entirely b la c k ish
brown margined with pale mfous white.
Length, 1 foot 6 in ch e s; bill from gape, 1 inch 11 lines;
wings, 8 in ch e s; tarsi, 1 inch 6 lines.
F ound on th e banks o f the fresh-water streams o f both
islands. I t is known, says Mr. P . E a rl, by the name of
P ateka.
S p a t u l a r h y n c h o t is .
Anas rhynchotis, L ath. I n d . Orn. Su p p l. p. 70. Lamb.
Icon. ined.
Male. Blackish brown, margined with while or ochre-
white ; nape greyish brown; th e cheeks and throat ochre-
white, dotted with browu ; back with blotches o f greenish
b la c k ; bre ast pale ferruginous, margined with b la c k ; ab domen
dark ferruginous marked with black ; wing-coverts
bluish lilac, greater coverts margined with white, speculum
b rig h t gi-eeii; quills, tertials and tail brownish b lack ; un der
tail-coverts black ; a white lunate mark before each eye.
Lengtli, 1 foot 54 in c h e s; bill from gape, 2 inches 10
lines ; wings, 10 inches ; tarsi, 1 in ch 4 lines.
This Shoveller is known a t Mataineka, South Island, by
the name of Kiikupaku. I t is found in pairs, says l\Ir. P.
E a rl, in small creeks inland.
Subfamily, FuUgulinæ.
H y m e n o l a im u s m a l a c o r u y n c h u s .
Anas raalacorhyncha, Forst. Desc. A n im . p . 94. Icon,
ined. 74.
Soft-billed Duck, L a th . S yn. vi. 522.
Malacorhynchus Forsterorum, Wagl. Isis, 1832, p. 1235.
Hymenolaimus malacorhynchus, G. R . Grag, Ann. N a t
Hist. 1843, p . 870.
H e ad aud neck greyish brown, tinged with green ; other
p arts gi'ey, tinged with green reflections ; b re a st and abdomen
paler, each feather margined with white, the former
varied with chesnut and some blackish spots ; tertials margined
exteriorly with I'elvely black ; middle of the ab d o men
and un d er tail-coverts tinged with rufous.
Length, 1 foot 54 inches ; bill from gape, 1 inch 11
lines ; wings, 84 inches ; tarsi, 1 inch 9 lines.
“ H a b ita t in aquis dulcibus et rivulis silvestribus insulæ
australis Novæ Zealandiæ in Portu præsertim Obscuro.