BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA, THE ADJACENT ISLANDS. & JOHN GOULD, F.LS., &c. PART II. Chetura macroptera, Nestor hypopolius. Dacelo cervina. Platycercus hematogaster. Pachycephala pectoralis. ; Myzomela nigra: Pitta Vigorsii. Apteryx Australis. Amadina castanotis. Afgialitis Monachus. LONDON: PRINTED BY RICHARD AND JOHN E, TAYLOR, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET. PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, 20, BROAD STREET, GOLDEN SQUARE. FEBRUARY, 1838. , T ran MIA MIR MI IDIMNTR 1 R A 0 KSI MHS. CHAS TURA MACROPTERA; /Swacms) Vatwre & ow Stenety F&E. Contd UTITUDUNT vga gaaytnyynnynay INN) eee . 3 CHATURA MACROPTERA, Swains. Long-winged Swift. Crown of the head, back of the neck, and ear-coverts deep shining green, strongly tinged with brown; a small space immediately before the eye deep velvety black ; throat, inner webs of the secondaries nearest the back, a patch on the lower part of the flanks, and the under tail-coverts white; wings and tail deep shining green, with purple reflections ; centre of the back greyish brown, becoming darker towards the rump; chest and abdomen dark clove brown ; bill black; feet brown: Total length, 74 inches; wing, 8; tail, 21; tarsi, 4. Chetura macroptera, Swains. Zool. Ill. 2nd Ser. Pl. 42. Hirundo caudacuta, ? Lath. Ind. Orn. Sup. p. lvii. sp. 1. Needle-tailed Swallow,? Ib. Gen. Syn. Supp. vol. ii. p. 259. sp. 3. and Gen. Hist. vol. vii. p. 307. Shaw Zool. vol. x. p. 133. Pin-tailed Swallow, ? Lath. Gen. Hist. vol. vii. p. 308. Chetura Australis, ? Steph. Cont. Shaw Zool. vol. xiii. p. 76. Among the numerous collections I have received from New South Wales, only a single specimen of this beautiful Swift has as yet occurred, and that unaccompanied by any remark relative either to the localities it inhabits or to its general economy; we may fairly presume however, that the portion of Australia called New South Wales, comes at least within the occasional range of its habitat, as it is from thence that this specimen, and the greater portion of my collection, have been obtained. It is one of the largest and most powerful species of the genus, and possesses a development of the wing fully equal to that of the Cypselus alpinus of Europe. The birds of the genus Chetura or Spine-tailed Swifts, although limited in the number of species, are widely dispersed over the globe, several of them being common both to India and America. They differ in many important points from the true Swifts, (Cypselus,) among the most singular of which is the form of the tail-feathers, whose shafts are prolonged into sharp spines, in the more powerful structure of the feet and claws, and in the position of the fourth toe, which in the present genus is not directed forwards, as in the case of the Swifts: this peculiar construction enables the birds of the genus Cietura to place themselves in an upright position when at rest, and they are even said to traverse the face of steep rocks in search of food, in which particular they offer a striking resemblance to the Woodpeckers and other Scansorial birds. I have little doubt that the Needle-tailed Swallow and Pin-tailed Swallow of Dr. Latham’s ‘‘ General History,” vol. vii. pp. 307, 308, are identical with the present bird ; but as a very important and conspicuous character, (the white colouring of the lower part of the abdomen and under tail-coverts,) is omitted in the former, and the latter is without a scientific name, I have deemed it best to adopt the appropriate appellation given by Mr. Swainson. Habitat. New South Wales. (P1209) FP NT AM AD O'T a< NUM] UTI NNN nnn — DACELO CERVINA, Gouwid. Dac. plumis capitis totius fulvescenti-albis, singulis strigd centrali fuscd notatis, hdc colore apud occiput magis conspicuo ; guld alba ; nucha, pectore, corporeque subtis cervinis ; pectore, abdomine, et lateribus, lineis transversis delicatulis et fuscis contorté ornatis ; dorso summo et scapularibus fuseis ; primariis nigrescenti-fuscis ad apicem, ad basin albis, ad marginem externum violaceo-ceeruleis ; plumis secondaris, aldque spurid violaceo-coruleis ; tectricibus majoribus et mi- noribus dorsoque imo lazulino-ceeruleis ; caudd, tectricibusque hujus longissimis castaneis, ad apicem fulvescentibus, et lineis octo vel decem angustis violaceo-nigris, transversaliter notatis ; mandibuld superiore nigrescenti-fuscd, base ex- cepta, hdc, mandibuldque inferiore corneo-flavis ; pedibus flavescenti-fuscis. Long. tot. 143 une. ; rostri, 3; ale, 73; caude@, 51; tarsi, 1. Feathers of the head, cheeks, and ear-coverts buffy white, with a central stripe of dark brown, which latter colour becomes most conspicuous on the occiput ; throat white; back of the neck, chest, and all the under surface sienna yellow; the chest, flanks, and abdomen crossed by fine zigzag lines of brown; upper part of the back and scapularies umber brown ; primaries blackish brown at the tip and white at the base ; their external edges, the secondaries, and the spurious wing rich china blue; greater and lesser wing-coverts, back, and several of the upper tail-coverts light shining verditer blue ; tail and the longest of the upper coverts rich chestnut brown, which passes into buff at the tip, the whole transversely marked with eight or nine narrow and regular bands of rich blue black ; upper mandible blackish brown on the upper surface and towards the tip; the base and the whole of the under mandible horn yellow; feet yellowish brown. Dacelo cervina, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part V. 1837. Tue bird figured in the accompanying plate differs from every other known species of true Dacelo in the delicate buff or light fawn yellow which is spread over the whole of the under surface; and as this colour extends to the base of the feathers, I am led to believe constitutes a permanent character; I have therefore given it the specific appellation of cervina. It is a species of great rarity ; two specimens only have come under my notice, one of which is in my own collection, and the other in that of the British Museum. I am unable to record any account whatever of the history of this fine bird, further than that I have reason to believe it is an inhabitant of the eastern and northern portions of New Holland. When compared with the other members of the genus it may be considered a diminutive species, while at the same time it is not surpassed by any in the brilliancy of its colours, particularly in the lazuline blue, which is spread over the back and wings. “ae, AP, PACHYCEPHALA PECTORALIS, (NigéHorsf / Provo Nature on Stone by J&L. Corto, Printed by C Hallmendat. ITU rac niin ip Ele ri3 4 4 * — << ss PACHYCEPHALA PECTORALIS, Fig. § Horgy- Mate. Throat white, encircled by a broad band of black, which commences at the base of the bill, surrounds the eye, passes down the sides of the neck and crosses the breast; forehead and crown dark grey, with a small stripe of black down the centre of each feather, the remainder of the upper surface dark grey; wings and tail blackish brown, each feather margined on the outer web with dark grey; sides of the breast and flanks grey ; centre of the breast, abdomen, and under tail-coverts orange brown ; bill and feet black. Femate. Head and all the upper surface brownish grey ; wings and tail dark brown, margined on the exterior webs with brownish grey ; throat dull white, gradually passing into the tawny buff which covers the whole of the under surface, each feather of the throat and under surface having a narrow stripe of dark brown down . the centre; bill brown ; feet black. Total length, 62 inches ; bill, 2; wing, 32; tail, 31; tarsi, 3. Muscicapa pectoralis, Lath. Ind. Orn. Suppl., p. li. No. 11. Orange-breasted Thrush, Lewin, Birds of New Holland, pl. 8. Pachycephala pectoralis, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 239. Gould, Syn. Birds of Australia. — striata, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 240, female or young male? Lanius macularius, Quoy et Gaim., Voy. del’ Astrolabe, p. 257. pl. 31. f. 1, young male ? Lewin, who has figured the male of this species in his work on New Holland Birds above-quoted, informs us that it dwells in ‘forests, frequents high trees, perching generally on the upper branches, where it sings a loud and not unpleasant song about daybreak ;” and this is all that is at present known respecting its habits and economy. Upon due consideration and a careful examination of specimens I am induced to consider the Pachycephala striata, of Messrs. Vigors and Horsfield, to be the female of this species, in which opinion I am confirmed by the circumstance of the two birds having been repeatedly sent me from New South Wales, as male and female of the same species; and I have also little doubt that the Pie Grieche grivelee, (Lanius macularius) of MM. Quoy and Gaimard, will ultimately prove to be a young male, as their bird was said to be from Port Jackson. New South Wales would appear to be the chief habitat of this species. I have never seen examples from Van Diemen’s Land, or any other locality. Drawn from Nobare & ow Stone by Tk aaa EUV ANNU 001) Fs TTA VIGORSI Gonder, a wo PITTA VIGORSII, Gowid. Vigors’ Pitta. Pitta brachyura, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 218. | A SINGLE specimen of this beautiful species of Pct¢a forms part of the collection of the Linnean Society of London, where it has always been considered as identical with the Pitta brachyura, but from which it differs in many important characters, among the most conspicuous of which may be noticed its larger size, and the narrow streak of light greenish grey which passes from the nostrils over each eye, and nearly surrounds the occiput. | I have not been able to obtain any decided information respecting the portion of Australia from which this | bird was obtained, but the eastern and northern coasts may be regarded as its most likely habitat; and I : am unable to render any account of its habits, or the situations it frequents: several of the members of the / group, however, particularly the other Australian species (Pitta Strepitans), are known to prefer the thick brushes near the coast, where it hops about and scratches up the leaves, etc., in search of food. The Pitta brachyura is also said to perch on the topmost branches of decayed trees, and to resort to the sides of inland | streams and waters, where it sports among the shallows, frequently wading up to its knees, which aquatic habits are indicated by the general character of its plumage ; and as the present bird is very nearly allied | to that species, it has doubtless similar habits. | Messrs. Vigors and Horsfield having omitted to notice the distinctive characters of this species, while | engaged upon their elaborate Catalogue of the Australian Birds in the Linnean Society’s collection, I have | much pleasure in dedicating it to the memory of the late Mr. Vigors, whose high scientific attainments, especially in Ornithology, are so well known, that my testimony is unnecessary. | Crown of the head, ear-coverts, and back of the neck jet-black; a narrow stripe of greenish grey com- mences at the nostrils, passes over each eye, surrounds the crown, and nearly unites at the occiput ; back, scapularies, outer edges of the secondaries, and the greater wing-coverts bronzy green ; shoulders, rump, and upper tail-coverts fine lazuline blue ; throat white ; chest, flanks, and thighs tawny buff; centre of the abdomen dark blood-red, passing into scarlet on the under tail-coverts; primaries black, with a white bar across the centre of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth ; tail black, tipped with green ; bill dark brown ; legs flesh-colour. The figure is of the natural size. era er 1 zig 4 i AMA DI NA CAS TA INOUE 72 77 AMADINA CASTANOTIS, Gow. Chestnut-eared Amaduvade. Mas. Am. corpore superne cinereo-fusco ; alis brunneis ; uropygio albo ; tectricibus caude nigris, albo guttatis ; gents castaneo-rufis, lined alba ad basin rostri ; pectore griseo, lineis nigris transversin striato ; notd nigra in medio pec- toris ; abdomine albo ; crisso ochraceo ; lateribus castaneis albo guitatis ; rostro aurantiaco ; pedibus subflavis. Fam. Rostro, lneis transversis fascialibus, tectricibus caude, pedibusque sicut in mare ; dorso, plumis auricularibus, alis, caudd latertbusque fusco-griseis ; guld et pectore griseis rufo tinctis ; abdomine Jlavescenti-brunneo. Long. tot. 44 une.; ale, 21; caude, 14; tarsi, 12. Mate. Crown of the head, nape, and back brownish grey; wings brown; rump white ; upper tail-coverts jet black, each feather having three large and conspicuous oval spots of white ; tail-feathers blackish brown slightly tmged with white at their tips; cheeks and ear-coverts reddish chestnut separated from the bill by a narrow transverse line of white, which white line is bounded on each side by a still finer line of black ; throat and chest grey, the feathers transversely marked with fine lines of black; a small black patch on the middle of the chest ; abdomen white; under tail-coverts buffy white ; flanks chestnut, each feather marked near the tip with two small oval spots of white ; bill orange red; feet light yellowish flesh colour. Frmae. ‘Transverse lines on the face, upper tail-coverts, and feet, as in the male ; upper surface, ear-coverts, wings, tail, and flanks greyish brown ; throat and chest grey slightly tinged with brown ; abdomen yellowish brown. Amadina Castanotis, Gould in Proce. of Zool. Soc., Part IV., 1836, p.105; and in Syn. of the Birds of Australia, Part I. Severs examples of this new and beautiful species of Amaduvade were contained in the collection of Major Mitchell, and also in one forwarded to me by Mr. Coxen ; both these collections were procured in New South Wales, the latter considerably to the north of Hunter’s River, and the former on the banks of the Darling, whence we are led to infer that the interior of Australia is the locality to which it is confined, which opinion is further confirmed by the circumstance of the species not being contained in the fine collection of the Lin- nean Society, or in those ordinarily brought into this country. It is nearly allied to, but in my opinion specifically distinct from, ‘Le Bengali moucheté,” of Vieillot’s Oiseaux Chanteurs, p. 21. pl. 3, which moreover he states to be a native of the Molucca Islands. I am unacquainted with any particulars as to its habits and economy. Habitat. Interior of New South Wales. Drawn fron NESTOR HYPOPOLIUS;/ Wagl) wed by CL NESTOR HYPOPOLIUS, Wazgi. Crown of the head greyish white slightly tinged with green ; face and ear-coverts yellowish tinged near the base of the bill with red ; sides of the neck, breast, and abdomen dull red, each feather margined with olive ereen ; back and wings brownish olive; rump and vent deep red; tail brownish green; bill grey with a darker tip; legs and feet brownish grey. Total length, 164 inches; bill, 2; wing, 11+; tail, 7; tarsi, 1+. Psittacus Nestor, Lath. Ind. Orn., p. 110. sp. 85.—Kuhl. Consp. Psitt. in Nov. Act., &c., p. 86. Psittacus Australis, Shaw, Mus. Lever., pl. in p. 87. Southern Brown Parrot, Lath. Syn., vol. 1. p. 264. no. 70.—Shaw, Zool. vol. viii. p. 522.—Lath. Gen. Hist. vol. il. p. 211. no. 142. Psittacus meridionalis, Gmel. Linn. vol. 1. p. 333. Nestor hypopolius, Wagl. Mon. Psitt. in Abhand., &c., pp. 505 and 696.—Selby, Nat. Lib., vol. vi. p. 121. pl. 12. Gould, Syn. Birds of Australia, Part I. > Tus species was first described by Dr. Latham in his “Index Ornithologicus ;” and although it has been known for so many years, little or nothing more is known respecting it than that it is from New Zealand, which in all probability is the only locality it inhabits. It is the type of Dr. Wagler’s genus Nestor, the species of which are rendered remarkable by the depth and richness of their colouring ; and judging from the few specimens which have come under my notice the only outward difference in the sexes would appear to be the somewhat smaller size and less brilliant colouring of the female. It is said to be one of the most noisy and impudent of its race, to have a voice harsh and dis- agreeable in the extreme, and to possess considerable powers of imitation. Habitat. New Zealand, where it is called by the natives Ka-ka. PLATYCERCU LINEA Tau gecay ill “Vo LATO GAS IEE IR SCould). PLATYCERCUS HEMATOGASTER, Gowid. Plat. fronte facieque ceruleis ; summo capite, nucha, plumisque auricularibus flavescenti-cinereis ; pectore cinereo tincto brunneo ; plumis auricularibus ad partem supertorem stramineis ; uropygio, tectricibusque superioribus caud@e cerinis ; articulo humeral pallidé ceruleo ; primariis intense fuscis ad apicem acutis ; secondarus tectricibusque majoribus vio- laceo-ceruleis ; tectricibus minoribus alisque ad partem superiorem intense coccineis ; lateribus tectricibusque inferi- oribus pallidé flavis ; abdomine medio nitide coccineo ; plumis duabus intermediis caude ad bases pallide olivaceo- viridibus, ad apices in intense ceruleum transeuntibus ; reliquis plumis ad bases intense ceruleis, ad apices in album transeuntibus ; rostro corneo ; pedibus fuscis. Long. tot. 12 unc.; ale, 53; caude, 7; tarsi, 4. Forehead and face deep ultra-marine blue; crown of the head, back of the neck, ear-coverts, and chest yel- lowish grey, the grey assuming a brown tint on the chest ; upper portion of the ear-coverts straw yellow ; rump and upper tail-coverts wax yellow ; point of the shoulders, both on the upper and under surface light ultra-marine blue; the tips of the primaries pointed, and of a dark blackish brown, except the basal portion of the external web, which with the secondaries and the greater wing-coverts are rich china blue; lesser wing-coverts, and all the upper portion of the wing deep saffron yellow ; flanks and under tail-coverts rich primrose yellow; centre of the abdomen, and in some specimens a portion of the under tail-coverts,) rich scarlet red; base of the two centre tail-feathers light olive green tinged with oil green, and merging into dark blue at the tips; the remaining feathers deep china blue at the base, gradually passing into white at the tip ; bill light horn colour ; feet brown. Platycercus hematogaster, Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V., 1837, p. 88. Turse specimens of this new and lovely species of Platycercus have come under my notice, two of which were procured by Major Mitchell, Surveyor General of New South Wales, during his researches into the interior of that country. The specimens collected by this gentleman were subsequently presented by the Governor to the Museum at Sydney, the British Museum, and the Linnean Society of London. The two latter specimens appear to be males, and one in my own collection to be a female, which differs from the male only in having the whole of her markings more obscurely defined, and less vivid in the colouring. Major Mitchell informs me that they inhabit the scrubs on the banks of the Darling; and that the interior of the colony was the only locality in which he had observed them: we may consequently conclude that the un- explored regions of this vast country will still unfold to us many novelties of the highest interest ; and that as new localities are investigated, additional species will be discovered of this peculiar and richly coloured group of ground Parrakeets, a form limited to Australia. Habitat. Interior of New South Wales. { : } : MYZOMELA NIGRA; /Gudd/ vr tctc 1 re 1—3 4 | ea MYZOMELA NIGRA, Gould. Black Mas. Myz. capite, gutture, striga abdominali, corpore supra, alis cauddque fuliginosis ; partibus reliquis albis ; rostro pedibusque nigris. Fam. Capite, corpore supra, alis cauddque fuscis ; gutture et corpore subtis fuscescente-albis ; colore in medio plumarum pravalente. Long. tot. 5 unc. ; rostrt, 35 ala, 2+; caude, 1%; tarsi, +. Mate. Head, throat, stripe down the centre of the abdomen, all the upper surface, wings and tail sooty black ; the remainder of the plumage pure white ; bill and feet black. Femate. Head, all the upper surface, wings and tail brown; throat, and all the under surface brownish white ; the centre of each feather the darkest. Myzomela nigra, Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. 1837. Srverax examples of both sexes of this new species formed part of the collection made by Mr. Charles Coxen, during his last excursion into the interior of New South Wales. In structure it corresponds most closely with the type of the genus (Myzomela cardinalis, Vig. and Horsf.). Colour generally offers to our notice the best guide as to affinity ; but, as will occasionally occur, the present species is an exception to the rule, its colours being black and white, while those of the Myzomela cardinalis are scarlet and white. The females of both species closely resemble each other. Nothing whatever is known of its history. PLO LW LNG PUIASE AO Of BANOS WON, RMAF repo WaT 2 nA paguasy (*eys/* STUY LSOAV XAU ALdV t 2 f MAT area APTERYX AUSTRALIS, Shaw. Kiwi Kiwi. Face and throat greyish brown; all the remainder of the plumage consisting of long lanceolate hair-like feathers, of a chestnut brown colour, margined on each side with blackish brown ; ; on the lower part of the breast and belly the feathers are lighter than those of the upper surface, and become of a grey tint; Dill yellowish horn colour, its base beset with numerous long hairs; feet yellowish brown. Total length, about 30 inches; bill, 62; tarsi, 3. 2 Apteryx Australis, Shaw, Nat. Misc., vol. xxiv. Pls. 1057, 1058 ; and Gen. Zool. vol. xiii. p.71. Less. Traité d’ Orn, p. 12. Cuv. Régne Anim. t.i. p. 498, note. Yarrell in Trans. Zool. Soc. vol. i. 1 Mle eh AG). Apteryx, Temm. Man. d’ Orn. 2nd Edit. Anal. p. exiv. Apterous Penguin, Lath. Gen. Hist. vol. x. p. 394. Dromiceius Nove-Zelandie, Less. Man. t. ii. p. 210, For our first knowledge of this bird we are indebted to the late Dr. Shaw, to whom the specimen figured by him in the Naturalist’s Miscellany was presented by Captain Barclay, of the ship Providence, who brought it from New Zealand about 1812. Dr. Shaw’s figure was accompanied by a detailed drawing of the bill, foot, and rudimentary wing of the natural size. After Dr. Shaw’s death, his at that time unique specimen -passed into the possession of the Earl of Derby, then Lord Stanley. His Lordship’s being a private collection, and no other specimen having been seen either on the continent or in England, the existence of the species was doubted by naturalists generally for upwards of twenty years. M. Temminck it is true placed it with hesitation in an order to which he gave the title of Jvertes, comprehending the present bird and the Dodo; but other naturalists were inclined to deny its existence altogether. The history of the bird remained in this state until June 1833, when my friend Mr. Yarrell published in the Transactions of the Zoological Society an interesting paper, detailing all that had been previously made known respecting it, and fully established it among accredited species: this paper was accompanied by a figure from the original specimen still in the possession of the Earl of Derby: within the last few months I have had the good fortune to become acquainted with four additional specimens*, and to obtain some further information respecting the history of the species. ee A mature consideration of the form and structure of this most remarkable bird, leads me to assign it with little hesitation to the family of Struthioncde; and my reasons for so doing will, I think, be obvious to every one who will examine and compare the species with the members of that group. The essai characters in which it differs consists in the elongated form of the bill, in the shortness of the tarsi, and in the possession of a sharp spur, terminating a posterior rudimentary toe. Regarding the Ostrich as the species to which it is least nearly related, we find in the Emu and Rhea, a much nearer approach, not only in the more lengthened form of the bill of the latter, but also in the situation of the OSHS, which in the Rhea are placed nearer the tip than in any other species of the group, the Apteryx excepted ; in fact, when we compare the bills of these two birds, it is very evident that both are formed on one plan, that of the Apteryx being an elongated representative of the Rkea, with the nostrils placed at the extreme tip: in vai) these birds there is the same peculiar elevated horny cere or fold. The tarsi are much shorter, and the nails of the toes much more curved than in the Rhea; but the scaly covering of these parts in both birds is precisely the same ; and it may be further observed that the number of toes increase as we pass on from the Ostrich, there being * Two of these, from which my figures are taken, were presented to the Zoological Society by the New Zealand Association: the Society also pos- wi 2 es a third, but imperfect specimen, which was presented by Alexander MacLeay, Esq., of Sydney ; and the fourth has been recently added to sess 2 the collection of the Karl of Derby. only two in that bird, three in the Rhea, Emu, &c., and three with a rudiment of a fourth in the Apteryx. The wing of the Apteryx, although scarcely more than rudimentary, agrees with that of the Rhea in having a strongly hooked claw at its extremity; while in the structure of its feather it approaches nearest to the Cassowary ; but unlike what obtains in that bird, the feathers are entirely destitute of the accessory plume, in which latter respect it again agrees with the Rhea. The members of this group, although few in number, are remarkable for their structural peculiarities, each being modified for its own peculiar habits and economy, and in none is this circumstance more remarkable than in the Apteryx, which, at the same time that it de- parts the farthest in form from the type of the group (the Ostrich), also departs the farthest in its mode of life and general economy ; being in fact adapted to the peculiarities of its own country, and fitted for the particular kind of food there to be obtained. Although the Apteryx approximates nearer to the Rhea than any other known bird, I am inclined to think that several intervening links will yet be discovered between them ; indeed a native of New Zealand, who was present at one of the late meetings of the Zoological Society, stated that there is another Apteryx in New Zealand, with a shorter and thicker bill, but which he considered to be the male of the present species. Without doubting that he has spoken to the best of his knowledge, I suspect that it will prove to be distinct, and that the two birds in my plate are representatives of both sexes. The favourite localities of this bird are low marshy situations, and those covered with extensive and dense beds of fern, among which it conceals itself, and when hard pressed by dogs, the usual mode of chasing it, takes refuge in crevices of the rocks, hollow trees, and the deep holes which it excavates in the ground, in the form of a chamber; in these latter situations it is said to construct its nest of dried fern and grasses, and to deposit its eggs, the number and colour of which have not been clearly ascertained. While undisturbed, says Mr. Short, in a letter to Mr. Yarrell, the head is carried far back in the shoulders, with the bill pointing to the ground ; but when pursued, says the native of New Zealand, it runs with great swiftness, carrying the head elevated like the Ostrich. It is asserted to be almost exclusively noc- turnal in its habits, and it is by torch-light that it is usually hunted by the natives, by whom it is sought after with the utmost avidity, the skins being highly prized for the dresses of the chiefs; indeed so much are they valued, that the natives can rarely be induced to part with them. The feathers are also employed to construct artificial flies for the capture of fish, precisely after the European manner. When attacked it defends itself very vigorously, striking rapid and dangerous blows with its powerful feet and sharp spur; with which it is also said to beat the ground in order to disturb the worms upon which it feeds, seizing them with its bill the instant they make their appearance ; it also probably feeds upon snails, insects, &c. Habitat. New Zealand, where it is called by the natives Kew: Kiei. The Plate represents two birds, supposed to be male and female, rather under the natural size. PIV ID ae “SLUAD VN IAL S | yogi UUYUULDYUUV IOAN HEGIALITIS MONACHUS. Head, forepart of the neck, and a band across the upper part of the back sooty black; back of the neck, and all the under surface white ; back, shoulders, and tertials greyish brown; centre of the wing and the basal por- tion of the internal webs of the primaries and secondaries white, the rest black; two middle tail-feathers black ; the three next on each side white at the base and tip, and black in the centre; the remaining feathers wholly white ; bill orange at the base, and black at the tip ; legs orange. Total length, 82 inches ; bill, $5 wing, 51; tail, 21; tarsi, 1. Charadrius Monachus, Geoff. in Mus. Paris.— Wagl. Syst. Av., sp. 15. cucullatus, Vieill., Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., p. 136. SEigialitis Monachus, Gould, Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IT. Since the publication of the second part of my Synopsis above-quoted, I have received examples of this species direct from Van Diemen’s Land, and I am consequently enabled to state that this is one of the locali- ties it inhabits, with which fact I was previously unacquainted. The specimens I have recently obtained exhibit to our notice a peculiarity in their plumage, from which I am led to believe that, contrary to what obtains in the other members of the group, the black colouring of the head is merely a seasonal character, which is doubtless only assumed during summer. This peculiarity I have illustrated by figuring a bird with the black head, and another fully adult in which the head exhibits only a slight indication of the black marking. A somewhat similar circumstance may be observed in its British analogue, the Common Ring Dottrell, which assumes a richer style of colouring during the summer and breeding-season ; but this character is never so nearly obliterated as in the present species. Habitat. Van Diemen’s Land.