Chapter 3

Thewhole diagnosis of Linnaeus is "Caprimulgus narium tubulis eminentibus," but the prominent tubular nostrils are just the character which distinguishesS. americanusmost strikingly from all the other goatsuckers, and I think that Sloane's figure and description are sufficient to indicate this bird. Sloane says asfollows:—

"This was seven Inches from the end of the Bill to that of the Tail, and ten from the end of Wing to Wing expanded, it had a quarter of an Inch long crooked black bill, with twoTubuliabout one eight Part of an Inch long for the Nostrills, along the upper Mandible were several bristly Hairs in a Line, like those of a Cat's Mustachoes of a black Colour, theApertureof Chaps or Swallow was extraordinary large. The Feathers on the Head and under the Chaps were many, the Tail was four Inches long, the Head and Back were cover'd with Feathers of a mixt Colour ofFeuille Morte, grey and black, the Wings and Tail were of the same Colour only Lighter under the Chaps, Breast and Belly was also of the same, the Legs and Feet were an Inch and half cover'd with brown Scales, the Toes four, three before, that in the middle three-quarters of an Inch long, and one behind.

"Its Stomach was not very muscular, it was fill'd with Scarabei, &c. The rest of the Bowells agreed in everything with those of the greater Sort, concerning which see the description above.

"They feed onScarabeiand other Insects of that Kind.

"They are found with the former."

Specimens of this Goatsucker are very rare in collections, and I am only aware of the existence of examples in American museums and of the pair obtained by Osburn in Jamaica about half a century ago, and now in the British Museum. Recent collectors have failed to procure it, and it is therefore to be feared that, likeAestrelata caribbaea, it has been exterminated by the introduced mongoose and other animals.

Habitat: Jamaica.

Wilson's ParrakeetLatham, Gen. Hist. B. II, p. 170 (1822).Plyctolophus productusGould, P.Z.S. 1836, p. 19.Nestor productusGould, Syn. Austr. B. and adj. Isl. pt. I, pl., fig. 1 (183—?).Centrurus productusBp., Naumannia 1856, Consp. Psitt. No. 265.

Wilson's ParrakeetLatham, Gen. Hist. B. II, p. 170 (1822).

Plyctolophus productusGould, P.Z.S. 1836, p. 19.

Nestor productusGould, Syn. Austr. B. and adj. Isl. pt. I, pl., fig. 1 (183—?).

Centrurus productusBp., Naumannia 1856, Consp. Psitt. No. 265.

Latham'soriginal description is as follows: "Length thirteen inches. Bill very long and hooked, and upper mandible measuring almost two inches, the under three-quarters, colour dusky; plumage in general greenish ash, inclining to brown, and clouded here and there with orange as in the 'Crossbill,' but the edges of the feathers of the back dun colour; all the under parts of the body mixed yellow and dull orange; rump dull red; under wing coverts dull yellow; thighs brown; the quills reach almost to the end of the tail, which is somewhat, but not greatly, cuneiform; both quills and tail are brown, the former marked on the inner webs with five or six whitish bars; legs dusky, toes very long. Inhabits New South Wales. I met with a fine specimen of it in the collection of Thomas Wilson, Esqre."

It has long been a question whetherNestor productusof Gould andNestor norfolcensisof Pelzeln were really distinct or only individual varieties of one species. I had for a long time considered them to be merely individual varieties, for I could not persuade myself that a small island like Philip Island, almost contiguous to Norfolk Island, could have a different species ofNestorto that found on the larger island. Since commencing to write this book, however, I have come to somewhat different conclusions. In the first place no special locality is given forN. productusby the earlier authors, in the same way as in the case ofNotornis alba, which, like theNestor, was said to come from N. S. Wales. This fact is easily explained, as N. S. Wales and Norfolk Island were both penal settlements in the early days, and there was intercourse by regular vessels plying between these colonies and Lord Howe's Island. Now we find in the case of several other birds that distinct local forms occur on Norfolk and Lord Howe's Islands, while as far as I know there is no other record of a distinct bird from Philip Island. I therefore believe thatNestor productusinhabited both Norfolk and Philip Islands, and that all specimens extant are from Philip Island, where it lingered some years longer than on the main island, while the specimens of Ferdinand Bauer and Governor Hunter, and possibly the supposedN. norfolcensisofCanon Tristram's collection, now in Liverpool, had been brought from Lord Howe's Island in cages and were kept as pets in Norfolk Island; and then, as the value of exact data in those early days of our science was unknown, the references were made to the place whence the specimens were seen or brought. One thing however is certain, the bill in Ferdinand Bauer's sketch is evidently a monstrous growth produced by captivity, for Latham expressly describes the bill of Governor Hunter's bird as ending in a long thin point. The differences ofN. norfolcensisare the dull crimson sides of face, chin, and throat; dull green head and hind neck, and the total absence of bars on the tail. The plate given herewith is a reproduction of the Liverpool bird, with the bill of Ferdinand Bauer's sketch added, as this is wanting in that bird, and in the corner a head of the specimen ofN. productus, purchased for the Tring Museum, when the late Mr. Wallace's Museum at Distington, Cumberland, was dispersed.

I have carefully examined the three fine specimens ofNestor productusin the British Museum, and the conclusion I have come to is that the bird described by Gould as the adult of hisN. productuswas an abnormal specimen, and was in relation to normalN. productuswhat the aberrations called "superbus" and "esslingi" are toN. meridionalis. The bills of the British Museum specimens are very different. The one from the Bell collection has the long, thin bill, but it is at least half-an-inch to three-quarters shorter than those in the Tring and Florence specimens.

Habitat: Philip Island and probably Norfolk Island.

One in Tring, three in London, one in Florence, two in Vienna, one in Prague, two in Leyden, one in Amsterdam, are known to me.

The two specimens in the Vienna Museum were both bought in 1839. One from Ward, with a short bill, brown chest and throat, and a very wide yellow breast-band. The other from Baron von Hügel, which has a long bill and very red cheeks and chin.

Long-billed ParrakeetLatham, Gen. Hist. II, p. 171 (1822).Nestor norfolcensisPelzeln, Sitzb. k. Akad. Wiss. XLI, pp. 322-325, pl.—(1860—detailed description from the manuscript of the late botanist, Ferdinand Lucas Bauer, and figure of head with an evidently abnormally developed bill. The specimen was from Norfolk Island; it had disappeared before Pelzeln's time).

Long-billed ParrakeetLatham, Gen. Hist. II, p. 171 (1822).

Nestor norfolcensisPelzeln, Sitzb. k. Akad. Wiss. XLI, pp. 322-325, pl.—(1860—detailed description from the manuscript of the late botanist, Ferdinand Lucas Bauer, and figure of head with an evidently abnormally developed bill. The specimen was from Norfolk Island; it had disappeared before Pelzeln's time).

Latham'soriginal description is as follows: "Length above 12 inches. Bill very long and curved, thick halfway from the base, but tapering quite to a point at the tip, and under mandible truncated at the end, colour of both, dusky; head and neck dull green; sides under the eyes, chin and throat pale crimson; upper parts of the body, wings and tail dusky; breast yellowish; belly, thighs and vent more or less crimson; tail cuneiform; legs brown."

"One of these was in possession of Governor Hunter, who brought it from Norfolk Island; from the bill it seems related to the other, but the tail is cuneiform in a much greater degree, without any bars across it."

The only bird of this species extant is the one in Liverpool, from the Tristram collection.

Governor Hunter's specimen and Bauer's bird were both brought from Norfolk Island, but as they were cage-birds, and differed so markedly fromN. productus, I, for reasons given underN. productus, believe this bird came from Lord Howe's Island.

Habitat: Lord Howe's Island (?).

Thehuge bill and peculiar shaped crest, together with the—apparently,i.e.,if the figure is correct—very short wings are characteristic of this genus. (P.Z.S. 1875, p. 350.)

Broad-billed ParrotOwen, Trans. Zool. Soc. VI, p. 53 (1866).Psittacus mauritianusOwen, Ibis, p. 168 (1866).Psittacus (Lophopsittacus) mauritianusA. Newton, P.Z.S. (1875), pp. 349, 350.Lophopsittacus mauritianusNewton, Enc. Brit. (ed. 9) III, p. 732, ff. 44, 46 (1875).

Broad-billed ParrotOwen, Trans. Zool. Soc. VI, p. 53 (1866).

Psittacus mauritianusOwen, Ibis, p. 168 (1866).

Psittacus (Lophopsittacus) mauritianusA. Newton, P.Z.S. (1875), pp. 349, 350.

Lophopsittacus mauritianusNewton, Enc. Brit. (ed. 9) III, p. 732, ff. 44, 46 (1875).

Thisextraordinary parrot was first described and made known to science by Professor Owen in 1866. He described it from 2 lower mandibles, much damaged, which were dug up from the Mare aux Songes. Except a few further osseous remains, mostly collected by Sir Edward Newton, nothing more of importance was found relating to this bird till Professor Schlegel discovered in the Library of Utrecht the manuscript journal kept during the voyage to Mauritius in A.D. 1601-1602 of Wolphart Harmanszoon, in which among other items of natural history there is a sketch ofLophopsittacusfrom life, and the statement that it was wholly of a grey-blue colour. From the fact that this bird is not mentioned by the voyagers who visited Mauritius in the 2nd and 3rd decades of the 18th century, it is probable that it was one of the first of the Mascarene birds to become extinct. This is easily understood when we consider that the bird was apparently unable to fly, and would like all big parrots prove excellent eating.

Only known from osseous remains and the above-quoted drawing and notes.

35 tarsi and tibiae, and 60 complete and incomplete lower mandibles and fragments of palatine bones in the Tring Museum.

Habitat: Mauritius.

Le petit AraD'Aubenton, Pl. Enl. 641.L'Ara tricolorLevaill., Perr. I p. 17, pl. 5 (1801).Psittacus tricolorBechst., Kurze Ueb. p. 64, pl. I (1811).Sittace? lichtensteiniWagl., fide Bp., Naumannia 1856, Consp. Psitt.

Le petit AraD'Aubenton, Pl. Enl. 641.

L'Ara tricolorLevaill., Perr. I p. 17, pl. 5 (1801).

Psittacus tricolorBechst., Kurze Ueb. p. 64, pl. I (1811).

Sittace? lichtensteiniWagl., fide Bp., Naumannia 1856, Consp. Psitt.

Bechstein'sdescription, taken from Levaillant, is (translated) as follows: "ThisAras, which others have held to be only a variety ofMacao, is according to Vaillant a distinct species. It is one third smaller than the red-fronted species, or 1 ft. 10 in. long, of which the tail takes 11 inches and the bill 18 lines. The latter is of a black colour and has the upper mandible less curved, and the sides of the lower mandible more swollen than is the case in the otherAraspecies. The cheeks are naked and white, with three lines of red feathers. Head, front and sides of the neck, breast, belly and thighs red; back of the neck pale yellow; back, shoulders and smaller wing coverts brownish red bordered with yellow or green; flanks yellowish, primaries above dark azure blue, below coppery red. Crissum violet blue, undertail coverts pale blue with green and brown-red borders; under-wing coverts red, the larger yellow, and brownish green. Two centre tail feathers all red with blue tips, the outer ones blue on outer webs and tips, red on the rest of the feather."

Of this bird I know only of two in the British Museum, one in Paris, one in Leyden, one in Liverpool. The specimen in the Paris Museum bears the inscription "Macrocercus tricolor (Bechst.) M. E. Rosseau. Cuba. Ménagerie 1842." Probably, however, there are more specimens in other museums.

Apparently the last specimen was shot in 1864 at La Vega (Bangs, Americ. Nat. XXXIX, p. 200).

Like all the extinct West Indian Macaws, Amazons and Conures, it became extinct through its persecution by the inhabitants for food.

Habitat: Formerly Cuba and Isle of Pines.

Yellow-headed MacawGosse, Birds of Jamaica, p. 260 (1847).Ara gosseiRothsch., Bull. B.O.C., XVI, p. 14 (1905); Proc. IV, Orn. Congr., p. 201 (1907).Ara tricolor(non Bechstein) Clark, Auk 1905, p. 348.

Yellow-headed MacawGosse, Birds of Jamaica, p. 260 (1847).

Ara gosseiRothsch., Bull. B.O.C., XVI, p. 14 (1905); Proc. IV, Orn. Congr., p. 201 (1907).

Ara tricolor(non Bechstein) Clark, Auk 1905, p. 348.

Mr. Gosse'sdescription is asfollows:—"Basal half of upper mandible black; apical half, ash coloured; lower mandible, black, tip only ash coloured; forehead, crown, and back of neck, bright yellow; sides of face, around eyes, anterior and lateral parts of the neck, and back, a fine scarlet; wing coverts and breast deep sanguine red; winglet and primaries an elegant light blue. The legs and feet are said to have been black; the tail, red and yellow intermixed (Rob.)"

Mr. Gosse also remarks, "If this is not thetricolorof Le Vaillant, which is the only Macaw I am aware of marked with a yellow nape, it is probably new."

In spite of the evident differences in the description, the JamaicanArahas always been united with the CubanA. tricolor, even as lately as October, 1905, by Mr. Austin H. Clark (Auk, 1905, p. 348), though he queries it in a footnote. The specimen described by Dr. Robinson, here quoted by Gosse, was shot about 1765, by Mr. Odell, in the mountains of Hanover parish, about ten miles east of Lucea.

Habitat: Jamaica.

The specimen described no longer exists, and there are none in any collection known.

There was a third member of thetricolorgroup of Macaws found on the large island of Haiti, which Mr. Clark has also united underA. tricolor, but I believe it must have been different, just as the Jamaica bird.

Ara militarisGosse, Birds of Jamaica, p. 261 (1847).Ara erythrocephalaRothsch., Bull. B.O.C., XVI, p. 14 (1905); Proc. IV Orn. Congr., p. 201 (1907).

Ara militarisGosse, Birds of Jamaica, p. 261 (1847).

Ara erythrocephalaRothsch., Bull. B.O.C., XVI, p. 14 (1905); Proc. IV Orn. Congr., p. 201 (1907).

Gossesays the description given to him in a letter, just received from Mr. Hill, was asfollows:—"Head red; neck, shoulders, and underparts of a light and lively green; the greater wing coverts and quills, blue; and the tail scarlet and blue on the upper surface, with the under plumage, both of wings and tail, a mass of intense orange yellow."

"The specimen here described was procured in the mountains of Trelawny and St. Anne's by Mr. White, proprietor of the Oxford estate." No specimen now known.

Habitat: Jamaica.

Mr. Gosse also relates that the Rev. Mr. Coward, in 1842, saw two large Macaws flying near the foot of the mountains in the parish of St. James, near the centre of the island. These birds were said to have been blue and yellow; if so, probably they were myAra erythrura, whose precise island home is unknown.

Les ArasPère Bouton, Rel. de l'étab. d. Français dep. 1635, en l'ile Martinique pp. 71. 72 (1640).Anadorhynchus martinicusRothsch. Bull. B.O.C. XVI, p. 14 (1905); Proc. IV Orn. Congr., p. 202 (1907).

Les ArasPère Bouton, Rel. de l'étab. d. Français dep. 1635, en l'ile Martinique pp. 71. 72 (1640).

Anadorhynchus martinicusRothsch. Bull. B.O.C. XVI, p. 14 (1905); Proc. IV Orn. Congr., p. 202 (1907).

Père Boutonsays, "Les Aras sont deux ou trois fois gros comme les Perroquets et ont un plumage bien différent en couleur. Ceux que j'ai vus avaient les plumes leleucs et orangées."

No specimen preserved.

Habitat: Martinique.

Les ArrasDu Tertre, Hist. gen. des Antilles Vol. II p. 248 (1667).Ara RougeD'Aubenton, Pl. Enl. 12 (1779).Ara guadaloupensisClark, Auk, XXII, p. 272 (1905).

Les ArrasDu Tertre, Hist. gen. des Antilles Vol. II p. 248 (1667).

Ara RougeD'Aubenton, Pl. Enl. 12 (1779).

Ara guadaloupensisClark, Auk, XXII, p. 272 (1905).

Du Tertregives the followingdescription:—"The Arras is a sort of Parrot bigger than all the others. This is proved because those of Guadaloupe are larger than all the other Parrots, both those from the Islands as well as from the Mainland; while this Arras is larger than these by one third. It has the head, the neck, the belly and the back of the colour of fire; its wings are a mixture of yellow azure, and crimson feathers; while the tail is entirely red and a foot-and-a-half long."

Macaws of this colouration are mentioned by Du Tertre, De Rochefort, and others of the older authors as being found on Guadaloupe, Dominica and Martinique, and Mr. Clark has united them under one name. This I feel sure is wrong, and I believe each of the three islands had a distinct species of Red Macaw, so I confine this name to the Guadaloupe form.

Habitat: Guadaloupe.

No specimen existing.

De Rochefort, Histoire Nat. & Mor. des Iles Antilles, &c. (1658), p. 154, Art. IX (Des Arras).Anadorhynchus coeruleus(non Gmelin) Rothsch., Bull. B.O.C., XVI, p. 15 (1905).

De Rochefort, Histoire Nat. & Mor. des Iles Antilles, &c. (1658), p. 154, Art. IX (Des Arras).

Anadorhynchus coeruleus(non Gmelin) Rothsch., Bull. B.O.C., XVI, p. 15 (1905).

Inthe Bull. B.O.C. XVI, p. 15 (1905), I unfortunately described this bird under the name ofAnadorhynchus coeruleus(Gm.), having misread his description, and also said it came from Jamaica. Professor Salvadori, in the Ibis (1906) Series 8, Vol. VI, "Notes on Parrots," p. 451, calls attention to my double error, but failed entirely to realise what bird I really meant. The original description is (translated) asfollows:—

"Among them are some which have the head, the upper side of the neck, and the back of a satiny sky blue; the underside of the neck, the belly, and undersurface of the wings, yellow, and the tail entirely red."

No specimen existing.

Habitat: One of the West Indian Islands.

Le gros Perroquet de la GuadaloupeDon de Navarette, Rel. Quat. voy. Christ. p. 425 pl. II (1838).Anadorhynchus purpurascensRothsch. Bull. B.O.C. XVI, p. 13 (1905); Proc. IV Orn. Congr., p. 202 (1907).

Le gros Perroquet de la GuadaloupeDon de Navarette, Rel. Quat. voy. Christ. p. 425 pl. II (1838).

Anadorhynchus purpurascensRothsch. Bull. B.O.C. XVI, p. 13 (1905); Proc. IV Orn. Congr., p. 202 (1907).

Theoriginal description of this bird says it was entirely deep violet. Native nameOné couli. No specimen extant. I have placed this species in the genusAnodorhynchuson account of its uniform bluish colour.

Habitat: Guadaloupe.

Perroquet de la GuadeloupeDu Tertre, Hist. Nat. Antill. II, p. 250, fig. p. 246 (1667).PerroquetsLabat, Voy. aux iles de l'Amér., vol. II p. 214 (1742).Psittacus violaceusGmelin, Syst. Nat. I, p. 337 (1788).

Perroquet de la GuadeloupeDu Tertre, Hist. Nat. Antill. II, p. 250, fig. p. 246 (1667).

PerroquetsLabat, Voy. aux iles de l'Amér., vol. II p. 214 (1742).

Psittacus violaceusGmelin, Syst. Nat. I, p. 337 (1788).

Labat'stranslated original description is asfollows:—"Those of Guadaloupe are a little smaller than theAras; they have the head, the neck, and the belly slate colour with a few green and black feathers, the back is entirely green, and the wings are yellow and red."

Gmelin's description readsthus:—"Ps. violaceus viridi et nigro admisto varius, dorso ex fusco viridi, remigibus majoribus nigris, reliquis ex luteo, viridi, et rubro variis, tectricum macula rosea. Rostrum et orbitae incarnata."

Du Tertre's description is asfollows:—"He is about as big as a fowl, has the beak and eyes bordered with red. All the feathers of the head, neck and belly are of a violet colour, a little mixed with black and green, shot like the throat of a pigeon. All the upper part of the back is green, strongly washed with brown. Outer primaries black, rest yellow, green and red."

No specimens in collections.

Habitat: Guadaloupe.

PerroquetsLabat's Voy. aux iles de l'Amér. II p. 214 (1742).Amazona martinicanaClark, Auk. XXII, p. 343 (1905).

PerroquetsLabat's Voy. aux iles de l'Amér. II p. 214 (1742).

Amazona martinicanaClark, Auk. XXII, p. 343 (1905).

Labat'sdescription readsthus:—"Those of Dominica have some red feathers on the wings, under the throat, and in the tail; all the rest is green (Amazona bouqueti,W.R.). Those of Martinique have the same plumage as the last mentioned, but the top of the head is slate colour with a small amount of red."

No specimen now known.

Habitat: Martinique.

PerriquesLabat, Voy. aux iles de l'Amér. II p. 218 (1742).Conurus labatiRothsch. Bull. B.O.C. XVI, p. 13 (1905); Proc. IV Orn. Congr., p. 202 (1907).

PerriquesLabat, Voy. aux iles de l'Amér. II p. 218 (1742).

Conurus labatiRothsch. Bull. B.O.C. XVI, p. 13 (1905); Proc. IV Orn. Congr., p. 202 (1907).

Labat'stranslated description of this bird is asfollows:—"Those of Guadaloupe are about the size of a blackbird, entirely green, except a few small red feathers, which they have on their head. Their bill is white. They are very gentle, loving, and learn to speak easily."

No specimens known.

Habitat: Island of Guadaloupe.

NecropsittacusMilne-Edwards, Ann. Sc. Nat. (5) XIX, Art. 3, p. 18 (1874).

Milne-EdwardsconsideredNecropsittacusclosely allied to the genusPalaeornis, and at the same time to show affinities with theLoriidae. At the same time the two mandibles were sufficient, in his opinion, to show that this bird belonged to a little generic group standing nearPalaeornis.

Psittacus RodricanusA. Milne-Edw., Ann. Sc. Nat. (5) VIII, pp. 151-155, pl. 7, ff. 1, 2 (1867).Necropsittacus rodericanusA. Newt., P.Z.S. p. 41 (1875).

Psittacus RodricanusA. Milne-Edw., Ann. Sc. Nat. (5) VIII, pp. 151-155, pl. 7, ff. 1, 2 (1867).

Necropsittacus rodericanusA. Newt., P.Z.S. p. 41 (1875).

Thisparrot was described from a portion of the upper mandible by Professor Milne-Edwards, and then was more fully described by Dr. Günther and Sir Edward Newton, who examined a nearly complete skull and other bones.

A manuscript discovered in the Archives of the Ministry of Marine in Paris proves that this bird only became extinct at a not very distant date, it having been seen alive by the writer of the manuscript about the year 1731. In this manuscript the bird was said to have a body considerably larger than a pigeon, with averylong tail and averylarge head and bill. Unfortunately the writer does not mention the colour, but adds that the smaller green and blue parrot (Palaeornis exsul) was much handsomer; so we can safely assume that our bird was of sombre colouration. It was undoubtedly closely allied to the genusPalaeornis. The two following, though much brighter coloured and but scantily described, apparently belong to the same genus.

Habitat: Rodriguez.

Thisparrot is described by the Sieur D.B. (Dubois) in the followingterms:—"Body the size of a large pigeon, green; head, tail and upper part of wings the colour of fire." As he compares it with the other parrots which are truePalaeornis, it is evident that this bird must have been aNecropsittacus.

This description is the sole evidence we have of the existence of this bird.

Habitat: Bourbon or Réunion.

Necropsittacus francicusRothsch., Proceedings Int. Ornith. Congress 1905, p. 197 (1907).

Originaldescription:—"Head and tail fiery red, rest of body and wings green." We only know this bird from the descriptions in the various "Voyages" to Mauritius in the 17th and early 18th centuries.

Habitat: Mauritius.

MascarinusLesson, Traité d'Orn. p. 188 (1831—A mixture of forms. By elimination the nameMascarinushas been restricted to the Mascarine Parrot).

Thegeneric affinities of this bird have been discussed by various authors. Wagler, Gray, Pelzeln, Hartlaub (1877) and Messrs. A. and E. Newton united it with the Vaza Parrots in the genusCoracopsis, Finsch included it, together with the Vazas and the Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus), in the genusPsittacus. Recent authors—Oustalet 1893, W. A. Forbes 1879, and Salvadori (Cat. B. XX, p. 421, 1891)—have admitted a separate genus,Mascarinus. This is evidently the proper course, and I agree with W. A. Forbes, Oustalet and Salvadori that its nearest affinities appear to be the genusTanygnathusrather thanCoracopsis, and that the place ofMascarinusis among thePalaeornithinaeof Salvadori.

The large red bill, with distinctly ridged gonys, concealed nostrils and moderately long, strongly rounded tail, are peculiar characters. The colouration is unique. Only one species is known.

"Perroquets un peu plus gros que pigeons, ayant le plumage de couleur de petit gris, un chaperon noir sur la teste, le becq fort gros, & couleur de feu" Le Sieur D.B, (Dubois), Voyages aux Iles Dauphine ou Madagascar, et Bourbon ou Mascarenne. p. 172 (1674—"Bourbon ou Mascarenne").Psittacus MascarinusBrisson, Orn. IV., p. 315 (1760); Hahn, Orn. Atlas, Papageien p. 54, pl. 39 (1835).Psittacus mascarin.Linnaeus, Mantissa Plantarum, regni animalis appendix p. 524 (1771—"Habitat in Mascarina." Ex Brisson).Perroquet MascarinLevaillant, Perroquets II, p. 171, pl. 189 (1805—"Madagascar," errore).Mascarinus madagascariensisLesson, Traité d'Orn, p. 189 (1831—"Madagascar," ex Levaillant).Coracopsis mascarinaWagler, Mon. Psittac. p. 679 (1832); Pelzeln, Verh. Zool. Bot. Ges. Wien 1863, p. 934.Mascarinus obscurus(nonPsittacus obscurusL.) Bonaparte, Rev. & Mag. de Zool. 1854 p. 154 (Linnaeus,Psittacus obscurus—Syst. Nat. Ed. X, p. 97, 1758, ex Hasselquist M.S.—though identified by himself with the Mascarine Parrot in 1766—Syst. Nat. Ed. XII, I, p. 140—cannot be the same asP. mascarinus; the description disagrees entirely, and the bird was described from a specimen probably seen alive by Hasselquist, with uncertain locality. What Linnaeus'P. obscuruswas, is difficult to say; if it was not for the long tail, one might consider it a variety of the Grey Parrot).Psittacus madagascarensisFinsch, Papageien II pp. 306, 955 (1868—Finsch was not acquainted with the history of this Parrot, as he still considered Madagascar to be its home, and wondered why it had not been found there by recent collectors).Psittacus madagascariensisPelzeln, Ibis 1873, p. 32.Mascarinus duboisiW. A. Forbes, Ibis 1879, pp. 304, 305 (figures), 306; Milne-Edwards & Oustalet, Centenaire Mus. d'Hist. Nat. pp. 191-205, pl. I (1893—excellent lengthy account).Mascarinus mascarinusSalvadori, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. XX, p. 421 (1891—Réunion).

Psittacus MascarinusBrisson, Orn. IV., p. 315 (1760); Hahn, Orn. Atlas, Papageien p. 54, pl. 39 (1835).

Psittacus mascarin.Linnaeus, Mantissa Plantarum, regni animalis appendix p. 524 (1771—"Habitat in Mascarina." Ex Brisson).

Perroquet MascarinLevaillant, Perroquets II, p. 171, pl. 189 (1805—"Madagascar," errore).

Mascarinus madagascariensisLesson, Traité d'Orn, p. 189 (1831—"Madagascar," ex Levaillant).

Coracopsis mascarinaWagler, Mon. Psittac. p. 679 (1832); Pelzeln, Verh. Zool. Bot. Ges. Wien 1863, p. 934.

Mascarinus obscurus(nonPsittacus obscurusL.) Bonaparte, Rev. & Mag. de Zool. 1854 p. 154 (Linnaeus,Psittacus obscurus—Syst. Nat. Ed. X, p. 97, 1758, ex Hasselquist M.S.—though identified by himself with the Mascarine Parrot in 1766—Syst. Nat. Ed. XII, I, p. 140—cannot be the same asP. mascarinus; the description disagrees entirely, and the bird was described from a specimen probably seen alive by Hasselquist, with uncertain locality. What Linnaeus'P. obscuruswas, is difficult to say; if it was not for the long tail, one might consider it a variety of the Grey Parrot).

Psittacus madagascarensisFinsch, Papageien II pp. 306, 955 (1868—Finsch was not acquainted with the history of this Parrot, as he still considered Madagascar to be its home, and wondered why it had not been found there by recent collectors).

Psittacus madagascariensisPelzeln, Ibis 1873, p. 32.

Mascarinus duboisiW. A. Forbes, Ibis 1879, pp. 304, 305 (figures), 306; Milne-Edwards & Oustalet, Centenaire Mus. d'Hist. Nat. pp. 191-205, pl. I (1893—excellent lengthy account).

Mascarinus mascarinusSalvadori, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. XX, p. 421 (1891—Réunion).

Ithas been mentioned above that "Le Sieur D.B." (Dubois) described this Parrot clearly in 1674, and that it lived on Réunion, and not on Madagascar. Linnaeus in 1771 (see above) was the first to bestow a scientific name on it, though Brisson had already again described it in 1760. Linnaeus' diagnosis is, as usual, rather poor, and not quite correct[1], but his reference to Brisson leaves no doubt as to what he meant.

This parrot is one of the rarest of extinct birds, only two stuffed specimens being known. One normally coloured specimen is preserved in the Museum of Natural History in Paris, and it is evidently this which has been figured by Daubenton and Levaillant, and in the "Centenaire du Muséum d'Historie Naturelle." From the latter plate my figure has been taken.

The example in Vienna is unfortunately semi-albinistic, there being some white feathers on the back, wings and tail. Another normal individual, however, lived formerly in the Menagerie of the King of Bavaria, where it was depicted by Hahn in 1835. Unfortunately this specimen has not been preserved.

Palaeornis exsulA. Newton, Ibis 1872, p. 33.

Leguatwas the first to mention these parrots as "Perroquets verds et bleus," and that they were wonderfully good to eat and also delightful pets.

Professor Newton's description is as follows: "Female: Of moderate size. General appearance greyish-glaucous, darker above than beneath. From the corner of the mouth proceeds an ill-defined dull black chin stripe, which becomes broader as it passes backward and upward, ceasing somewhat abruptly on reaching the level of the ears. Head, nape and shoulders, upper wing-coverts, and rectrices above dull greyish-glaucous, the blue tinge in which predominates when the bird is seen against the light, and the green when seen in the contrary aspect; the outer rectrices paler. Rump verditer blue. Primaries with their outer, and most part of their inner, webs deep greenish blue, the former with narrow, lighter edges, and the latter broadly bordered with pitch black; shafts and lower surfaces greyish black. Secondaries much the same as the primaries, but of a still deeper shade. Breast dull greyish-glaucous, but lighter than the upper parts and passing on the belly into verditer, which becomes lighter and greener on the vent. Rectrices beneath yellowish grey, darker toward the tips of the longer feathers. Bill black."

The specimen was sent in spirits to Sir Edward Newton in 1871 by Mr. Jenner, the Magistrate of Rodriguez.

The male differs from the female in having the upper mandible crimson, fading into horn at the tip. Top of head more glaucous. Black stripe from nostril to eye. Black chin stripe prolonged almost to meet on nape of neck. Most of primaries with dull black patch on inner webs. Middle secondaries dusky black.

The male was sent to Sir Edward Newton in 1875 by Mr. J. Caldwell.

Probably almost if not quite extinct. Recent investigations about its status are very desirable.

Habitat: Rodriguez Island.

Palaeornis wardiE. Newton, P.Z.S. 1867, p. 346 (Seychelles).

Thetranslation of Sir Edward Newton's diagnosis is as follows: "Similar toP. alexandri, but with a stouter bill, purple red shoulder patches, and the hind neck without a red band.

"Adult Male.Crown of head and throat bluish, cheeks ochraceous green, chin and line round base of mandible black, continued in a stripe from the gape to the hind neck; back and wings grass green; rump brighter; a single wide band (or patch) on the shoulders purplish red; remiges and rectrices deep green washed with blue, the latter yellowish, the former dusky below; belly yellowish green; bill vivid scarlet with paler tip; feet dusky. Total length 16 inches, wings 7.75, tail 9."

Female similar to the male but duller, and with the bill all black, and without the black mandibular stripe.

Formerly abundant on most of the islands in the Seychelles, especially Mahé, but now confined to the little islet of Silhouette, where it will in all probability become extinct. According to E. Newton its name was "Cateau vert."

Habitat: Seychelles Islands.

Psittaca borbonica torquataBriss., Orn. IV p. 328, pl. XXVII f. 1 (1760). (Bourbon.)Psittacus alexandri var.γLinnaeus, S.N. p. 142 (1766).Perruche à collier de l'Isle de BourbonDaubenton, Pl. enl. 215.Perruche à double collierBuff., Hist. Nat. Ois. VI, p. 143 (1779).Alexandrine Parrakeet var. C. Double Ringed ParrakeetLatham, Syn. I p. 326 (1781).Psittacus equesBoddaert, Tabl. Pl. Enl. p. 13 (1783).Psittacus semirostrisHermann, Obs. Zool. p. 125 (1804).Psittacus bitorquatusKuhl, Consp. Psitt. p. 92 (1820).Rose Ringed Parrakeet var. B. Latham, Gen. Hist. II p. 161 (1822).Psittacus bicollarisVieillot, Enc. Meth. III p. 1385 (1823).Palaeornis bitorquatusVigors, Zool. Journ. II p. 51 (1825).Palaeornis borbonicusBp., Rev. and Mag. Zool. 1854, p. 152. No. 140.

Psittaca borbonica torquataBriss., Orn. IV p. 328, pl. XXVII f. 1 (1760). (Bourbon.)

Psittacus alexandri var.γLinnaeus, S.N. p. 142 (1766).

Perruche à collier de l'Isle de BourbonDaubenton, Pl. enl. 215.

Perruche à double collierBuff., Hist. Nat. Ois. VI, p. 143 (1779).

Alexandrine Parrakeet var. C. Double Ringed ParrakeetLatham, Syn. I p. 326 (1781).

Psittacus equesBoddaert, Tabl. Pl. Enl. p. 13 (1783).

Psittacus semirostrisHermann, Obs. Zool. p. 125 (1804).

Psittacus bitorquatusKuhl, Consp. Psitt. p. 92 (1820).

Rose Ringed Parrakeet var. B. Latham, Gen. Hist. II p. 161 (1822).

Psittacus bicollarisVieillot, Enc. Meth. III p. 1385 (1823).

Palaeornis bitorquatusVigors, Zool. Journ. II p. 51 (1825).

Palaeornis borbonicusBp., Rev. and Mag. Zool. 1854, p. 152. No. 140.

Therehas been considerable confusion with regard to this parrot. It was first asserted that it occurred on both Bourbon and Mauritius. Then Professor Newton separated the Mauritius bird asPal. echo. Salvadori, however, in Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. XX, p. 442, reunited the Bourbon and Mauritius birds, while quite unaccountably stating only Mauritius as the habitat.

The Abbé Dubois describes this bird as follows: "Green Parrots as large as pigeons having a black collar."

Now the species ofPalaeornisfrom Rodriguez, the Seychelles, and the mainland of Africa are all distinct, and the other land birds of Mauritius are and were different from those of Bourbon. I therefore feel quite certain that Professor Newton is right, and that hisPalaeornis echois distinct fromP. eques, though, unfortunately, we do not know in which way the two forms differed.

Habitat: Bourbon or Réunion, but now extinct. No specimens known.

Palaeornis echoNewton, Ibis 1876, p. 284.Palaeornis equesSalvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. XX, p. 442 (1891).

Palaeornis echoNewton, Ibis 1876, p. 284.

Palaeornis equesSalvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. XX, p. 442 (1891).

Descriptionof Male: Green, the occiput tinged with bluish; a narrow black stripe from the nostrils to the eyes; broad black mandibular stripes passing down and across the sides of the neck where they meet a pink collar, which is interrupted on the hind neck; under wing-coverts yellowish green; central tail feathers scarcely tinged with bluish; tail below dark yellowish grey; upper mandible red, under mandible almost black with only a brownish tinge in places. Iris yellow. Naked skin round eyes orange. Wing 7.5 inches, tail 8.75 inches, bill 9 inches. The female differs by the absence of the collar, no bluish tint on occiput, and the bill entirely blackish.

It differs fromP. torquatusin the incomplete collar, darker green colour and broader tail feathers. This bird is still found in the interior of the island, but is rare and apparently on the verge of extinction.

Habitat: Mauritius.

Three specimens at Tring, four in the British Museum.

Red Rumped ParrakeetLatham, Syn. I, p. 249, No. 50 (1781).Psittacus novae seelandiaeGmelin (nec. Sparrm.), S.N. I, p. 328, No. 83 (1788).Psittacus zealandicusLatham, Ind. Orn. I, p. 102, No. 58 (1790).Psittacus novae-zealandiaeKuhl, Consp. Psitt. p. 44, var. 1 (1820).Psittacus erythronotusKuhl, Consp. Psitt. p. 45, No. 67 (1820).Psittacus pacificusvar. No. 3, Vieillot, Enc. Méth., p. 1387 (1823).Platycercus pacificus, part. Vigors, Zool. Journ. I, p. 529 (1825).Platycercus erythronotusStephens, Gen. Zool. XIV., p. 129, No. 9 (1826).Conurus phaetonDes Murs, Rev. Zool. 1845, p. 449.Platycercus phaetonDes Murs, Icon. Orn. pl. 16 (1845).Cyanorhamphus pacificusBonaparte, Rev. et. Mag. 1854, p. 153, No. 184.Cyanorhamphus erythronotusGray, Hand-list II, p. 140, No. 8029 (1870).Cyanorhamphus forsteriFinsch, Papag. II, p. 270 (1868).

Red Rumped ParrakeetLatham, Syn. I, p. 249, No. 50 (1781).

Psittacus novae seelandiaeGmelin (nec. Sparrm.), S.N. I, p. 328, No. 83 (1788).

Psittacus zealandicusLatham, Ind. Orn. I, p. 102, No. 58 (1790).

Psittacus novae-zealandiaeKuhl, Consp. Psitt. p. 44, var. 1 (1820).

Psittacus erythronotusKuhl, Consp. Psitt. p. 45, No. 67 (1820).

Psittacus pacificusvar. No. 3, Vieillot, Enc. Méth., p. 1387 (1823).

Platycercus pacificus, part. Vigors, Zool. Journ. I, p. 529 (1825).

Platycercus erythronotusStephens, Gen. Zool. XIV., p. 129, No. 9 (1826).

Conurus phaetonDes Murs, Rev. Zool. 1845, p. 449.

Platycercus phaetonDes Murs, Icon. Orn. pl. 16 (1845).

Cyanorhamphus pacificusBonaparte, Rev. et. Mag. 1854, p. 153, No. 184.

Cyanorhamphus erythronotusGray, Hand-list II, p. 140, No. 8029 (1870).

Cyanorhamphus forsteriFinsch, Papag. II, p. 270 (1868).

Thisbird has received a variety of names owing to the adult bird being very different to the younger and quite young birds.Adult, forehead black; stripe from lores passing through eye almost to hind-neck scarlet; rump scarlet; back and breast dull green; cheeks, head, neck, belly, under-tail coverts and wing coverts, bright green. Flight-feathers blue on outer, brown on inner, webs; bend of wing blue; tail feathers blue, edged with green.

Youngdiffers in having a dull bluish-black forehead, brownish head, back mixed brown and green, rump and eye stripe chestnut red, and the underside greyish green.

This species was confined to the Society Islands, where it was obtained during Cook's Voyage by Ellis and by Forster, and lastly by Lieutenant de Marolles in 1844. We only know for certain at the present day of the existence of two specimens, one in the British Museum, ex Massena collection, whose origin is doubtful, and one in Paris, collected by Lieutenant de Marolles. What became of the other two specimens of the latter's collecting, and of Forster's and Ellis' specimens, I cannot say.

Habitat: Society Islands.

Evidently extinct.

Society ParrotLatham, Syn. I p. 250 (1781).Psittacus ulietanusGmelin, S.N. I p. 328, n. 85 (1788).Platycercus ulietanusVig., Zool. I p. 533, Suppl. pl. 3 (1825).Cyanorhamphus ulietanusBonaparte, Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 153, n. 188.Platycercus tannaensisFinsch, Papag. II, p. 272 (1868).Psittacus fuscatusPelz., Ibis 1873, p. 30.

Society ParrotLatham, Syn. I p. 250 (1781).

Psittacus ulietanusGmelin, S.N. I p. 328, n. 85 (1788).

Platycercus ulietanusVig., Zool. I p. 533, Suppl. pl. 3 (1825).

Cyanorhamphus ulietanusBonaparte, Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 153, n. 188.

Platycercus tannaensisFinsch, Papag. II, p. 272 (1868).

Psittacus fuscatusPelz., Ibis 1873, p. 30.

Adult: "Olive brown, the head brown-black; rump and basal upper tail-coverts brown-red, the longest upper tail-coverts olive brown like the back; underparts olive-yellow; quills, primary-coverts, under wing coverts and tail-feathers grey; bill black, base of upper mandible grey; feet brown." (Salvadori, Cat. B. XX p. 579). Wing 5.3 inches, bill 0.8 inches, tarsus 0.8 inches, tail 5 inches.

Habitat: Ulietea, Society Islands (fide Latham).

The type from the Leverian Museum is in Vienna, and a specimen from Bullock's collection is in the British Museum. These are the only two specimens known, and as it is now more than a hundred years since anyone has procured a specimen, we may suppose that this is an extinct species. The specimen in Vienna, which I have recently been able to examine, has the head, back, wings, and tail deep umber-brown, the rump dark-crimson, upper tail-coverts olive, underside brownish yellow.

Parrot from Lord Howe IslandPhillips, Bot. Bay, p. 225 (1789).Cyanorhamphus subflavescensSalvadori, Ann. & Mag. (6) VII, p. 68 (1891).

Parrot from Lord Howe IslandPhillips, Bot. Bay, p. 225 (1789).

Cyanorhamphus subflavescensSalvadori, Ann. & Mag. (6) VII, p. 68 (1891).

Verysimilar toC. cookiandC. saissetiand intermediate in size. Above more yellowish thanC. saisseti, below more greenish, tail shorter than in either of the latter.

This species is believed to be extinct. Last year I received some specimens of aCyanorhamphusfrom an inhabitant of Lord Howe's Island, but from subsequent letters these appear to have been collected on Norfolk or Philip Island, and they certainly areC. cooki.

Habitat: Lord Howe's Island.

A pair in the British Museum appear to be the only known specimens.

Strix sp.Milne-Edwards, Ann. Sci. Nat. (5) XIX p. 13 (art. 3.) 1874.

Milne-Edwardshad only a single tibio-tarsus of this form and described this bone, but refrained from giving it a specific name, though he stated it was probably a smallBubo, in the hopes of getting more material.

As, however, we have no further specimens, I think I am justified in naming it after Leguat, who first mentions Owls on Rodriguez. Milne-Edwards' description of this tibio-tarsus is that it equals in length that bone inAsio accipitrinus, but was distinguished from the latter by the strong inward curvature and the great development in width of its distal extremity.

Habitat: Rodriguez.

Scops commersoniOustalet, Ann. Sci. Nat. (8) III, p. 35 fig. 3 (1896).

Thisowl, I believe, is not a trueScops, being much too big, but we must leave it in that genus for the present, as there are no specimens or bones extant, and only Jossigny's drawing to guide us as to its appearance. The first mention of owls on Mauritius was in the year 1606, when Admiral Matlief says that owls were common in the Island. Monsieur Desjardins, in 1837, gave the first accurate description of the bird, of which I here reproduce the translation. "The digits and even the tarsi are not feathered, only on the front portion of these latter one sees some short, stiff feathers running down to a point nearly to the centre. The digits are very strong, they being armed with hooked nails.

The beak is very stout, arched from its base; the upper mandible, which is much longer than the other and covering it, is as if cut square at the point. The nostrils pierce the bill pretty high up in the horny portion. The eyes, of which I could not see the colour, are round, and placed, like in the entire family, in front. They are surrounded by a circle or disc of stiff, thread-like feathers, which is interrupted at the sides. A sort of collar is perceptible on the throat. Two tufts, similar to those of the Eagle Owls and Eared Owls, and very apparent, are behind the eyes and towards the top of the occiput.

The wings are a little longer than the tail, the fourth and fifth primaries being the longest, the third and sixth are shorter, and the second still shorter, being equal to the eighth, and the first is shortest of all. The tail reaches to the end of the digits; it is rounded and not much lengthened: all the retrices are equal in length. The ear-tufts are brown, with some slight buff shading, the discal plumes being white marked with buff. All the upper side is of a dark brown colour, the feathers of the head, the neck and the back are edged with rufous, but not very distinctly so; this rufous colour is more apparent on the scapulars, and some of these even have on the outer web one or two whitish patches surrounded with brown.

The large tail feathers are less brown and more rufous in colour, with lighter rufous marbling mixed with brown.

The tertials and secondaries have a darker brown bar towards the centre, and their outer web is pleasantly marked with somewhat square ocelli or irregular bands of white, pale buff, and brown. The large primaries orflight feathers present the same ornamentation, but more strongly developed, and the blotches are buffy white on the inner web, which produces a regular spotting on a brown ground colour; the tip of these large feathers is finely stippled with brown on a fairly pale ground; and there is a large patch of white on the wings in addition.

The throat and abdomen are nicely adorned with dark buff feathers, which have a black brown centre and two to four large round white spots. The large feathers on the flanks are whitish, with a brown shaft line and marked with buff. All the well feathered parts, underneath the feathers are covered by a very thick black down."

The colour of bill and feet is reddish brown. Total length, 13½ inches = 345 mm. Desjardins says the specimen he described was killed at the end of October, 1836, in the forest crowning the hills close to "Bamboo Creek." In 1837 several were still seen near "La Savane," and one was killed at Curepipe by Dr. Dobson of the 99th Regiment. This latter is believed to have been one of, if not the last of this species, so we have to thank that excellent naturalist, Desjardins, and Monsieur Jossigny, the companion of Commerson, that we know what this extinct species was like.

Habitat: Mauritius.

Strix (Athene) murivoraMilne-Edwards, Ann. Sci. Nat. (5) XIX p. 13 (Art. 3.) (1874).

Professor Milne-Edwardsdescribed this bird from a tibio-tarsus and a tarso-metatarsus collected in Rodriguez by Sir Edward Newton, and says that he considers it to belong to the genusAthene, because the proportions of the tibio-tarsus and tarso-metatarsus agree with those of that genus. The most remarkable specific characters appear to be that the ridge to which the fibula is articulated is stout, and extends very far along the outer edge of the bone. The diaphysis is large and nearly straight; the distal extremity is furnished with two equal condyles separated by a deep channel.

Habitat: Rodriguez.

Sceloglaux rufifaciesBuller, Ibis 1904, p. 639; id. Suppl. B. New Zealand II, p. 65, pl. VII (1906).

Originaldescription: "Adult female: Similar toSceloglaux albifacies, but appreciably smaller; face dull rufous brown, instead of being white; crown and nape blackish brown; entire upper surface strongly suffused with rufous; quills marked with regular transverse bars and a terminal edging of rufous brown; tail-feathers uniform yellowish brown, obscurely barred with pale brown; bill lemon-yellow; feet dull yellow."

"Wairarapa district, near Wellington, North Island, in the summer 1868-9."

This supposed "species" is a very doubtful one. A close examination in the Tring Museum of the type (which was offered me for such a high price that I did not feel justified in buying it, fond as I am of possessing extinct forms, types and varieties) by Messrs. Hartert, Hellmayr and myself proved beyond doubt to all three of us that the specimen was not fully adult, but showed signs of immaturity. If I said to Sir Walter Buller that it was an extremely young, hardly fledgedSceloglauxthis was certainly incorrect, and was perhaps just an exclamation after a hasty preliminary examination, for the bird is of course fully fledged and has passed, at least partially, through one moult of the feathers. On the other hand, both Professor Newton's and Dr. Sharpe's reputed statements that the owl in question is fully adult are not correct. It certainly shows unmistakable signs of immaturity, as noticed at once by Dr. Gadow (cf. Newton's letter on p. 66, l.c.), by Hartert, Hellmayr and myself. Moreover Professor Newton—though Buller says he "pronounced it to be an adult bird"—also admits that the bird "had moulted, though not necessarily to be in adult plumage," and he continues that he thinks the character of the markings continues to be juvenile.

Having thus discussed the age of this owl, the question must be considered if it is different fromS. albifaciesfrom the South Island. This is less easily done. Buller described it as a "new species," and mentions among the distinctive characters (see above) the colour of the tail. The tail, however, is "skillfully" (as Buller calls it, though I should use a less complimentary adverb) stuck in, and does not belong to aSceloglaux, but to an AustralianNinox, and also some feathers on the neck are foreign. The wings being abraded, its slightly smaller length is not very significant. Certainly, however, the colouration in general is slightly more rufous thaninS. albifacies, though some of my specimens approach it almost completely, and the face is more rufescent. Professor Newton cautiously warned Sir Walter Buller, suggesting thatS. albifaciesmight possibly have a red "phase," likeSyrnium aluco, and this North Island specimen represented the latter. As for myself, I do not think thatS. albifacieshas two phases, as I have seen too many specimens, and found them to vary but little. I have now in my collection eight specimens from the South Island. On the other hand, I have not seen juvenile examples; but it is very likely that the rufous face of the North Island specimen is a character peculiar to the North Island form, which would then be a sub-species ofS. albifaciesfrom the South Island, and should be calledS. albifacies rufifacies. The type from Wairapara is said to have been killed in the summer of 1868-9, and, since no further evidence of its existence has come forth, I presume that the North Island race of this owl must be extinct by this time.

Strix sp.Newton and Gadow, Trans. Zool. Soc. XIII, p. 287 (1893).

Messrs. Newton and Gadowgive the measurements of, and describe a pair of metatarsi procured with the remains described asStrix sauzieri, and state that they do not fit in with that species. For, as they are fully adult bones, it is impossible to attribute their much smaller size to youth. They then add a sentence of which this is the first part: "Unless we assume, what is unlikely, that the Island of Mauritius possessed two different species ofStrix, we have to conclude that the short pair of metatarsals belonged to a small individual ofStrix sauzieri, ——." Evidently Messrs. Gadow and Newton, when they wrote this, did not remember the fact that throughout a very large portion of the range ofStrix flammea, its various geographical races are found side by side with another species of the group ofStrix, namely,S. candidaandS. capensis, popularly called "Grass owls"; these in nearly every case have the legs considerably longer than in the trueBarn Owls(Strix flammeaand its races).

Therefore I consider it not in the least unlikely that two species ofStrixinhabited Mauritius, and thatStrix sauzieriwas the Mauritian representative of the "Grass Owls," while these two short metatarsals belonged to the representative of the "Barn Owls." I therefore have much pleasure in naming this form after the collector of these bones, the late Sir Edward Newton.

Length of tarso-metatarsi, 56 mm.

Habitat: Mauritius.

Strix sauzieriNewton & Gadow, Trans. Zool. Soc. XIII, p. 286, pl. XXXIII, figs. 11-18 (1893).

Messrs. Newton and Gadowdescribe this species from four metatarsi, three tibiae, and two humeri. They state that the relative length of the tibia to the metatarsus is very constant and characteristic of the various families and genera of owls. In the present instance this comparison indicates a species ofStrix.

The longer and higher cnemial process of the tibia and the shortness of the humerus serve amply to justify the specific separation of this Mauritian owl.

The following are themeasurements:—

Habitat: Mauritius.

Circus hamiltoniForbes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 186 (1892—no proper description).

Averylarge harrier, much larger thanCircus gouldi, but not so big asHarpagornis.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

Circus teauteensisForbes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 186 (1892—no proper description).

Anothervery large harrier from Teaute, which has never yet been properly described.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

Astur sp.Milne-Edwards, Ann. Sci. Nat. (5) XIX, Art. II, pp. 25, 26, pl. 15 fig. 2. (1874).Astur alphonsiNewton and Gadow, Trans. Zool. Soc. XIII p. 285, pl. XXXIII, figs. 9, 10. (1893).

Astur sp.Milne-Edwards, Ann. Sci. Nat. (5) XIX, Art. II, pp. 25, 26, pl. 15 fig. 2. (1874).

Astur alphonsiNewton and Gadow, Trans. Zool. Soc. XIII p. 285, pl. XXXIII, figs. 9, 10. (1893).

Messrs. Newton and Gadowbestowed the nameAstur alphonsion a pair of tibiae, a pair of metatarsals, and the metacarpals of the left side of a goshawk apparently of the same size and relative proportions asA. melanoleucusof South Africa. They justified their description of this goshawk as a distinct species, first of all by the fact that most of the Mascarene extinct species were distinct; and then because the bony ridge for theM. flexor digitorum communiswas more strongly developed, the fibula reached further down the tibia, the peroneal crest was straighter and longer, and the cnemial crest slanted more gradually into the anterior inner edge of the shaft of the tibia.

Milne-Edwards gives the measurements of the solitary tarso-metatarsus of this bird which he had for examination asfollows:—

Messrs. Gadow and Newton give the length of their tarso-metatarsi as 81 mm., of their tibiae as 117 mm., and of the metacarpals as 55 mm.

Habitat: Mauritius.

Seven tarsi in the Tring Museum.

AlliedtoAquila, from which it is distinguished by the ulna being relatively shorter and the tarso-metatarsus stouter.

Harpagornis mooreiHaast, Trans. N.Z. Inst. IV, p. 192 (1872).

Descriptionof femur (from Haast): The cylindrical shaft bent forward, and above the distal extremity it is slightly curved back. The hollow on the top of the head is very large and measures .42 inch across.

The trochanteric ridge is well developed and the outer side is very rough, showing that muscles of great strength and thickness must have been attached to it.

The inter-muscular linear ridges are well raised above the shaft, of which the one extending from the fore and outer angle of the epitrochanteric articular surface to the outer condyle is the most prominent. The pits for the attachment of the ligaments in the inter-condyloid fossa are strongly marked. The femur is pneumatic, the proximal orifice is large and ear-shaped, resembling in form most closely that of the Australian Sea Eagle.

Type locality: Glenmark Swamp.

Habitat: New Zealand.

Type bones: 1 left femur, 2 ungual phalanges, and 1 rib.

For a more detailed description my readers must refer to the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute VI, pp. 64-75 (1874).

Phalacrocorax perspicillatusPallas, Zoogr. Rosso.-Asiat. II, p. 305 (1827—Berings Island); Gould, Zool. Voy. Sulphur, p. 49, pl. XXXII (1844); Stejneger, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., No. 29, p. 180 (1885); id. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. XII, pp. 83-94, pls. II-IV (1889—Osteology); Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. XXVI, p. 357 (1898).Graculus perspicillatusElliot, New and heret. unfig. sp. N. Amer. B. II, part 14, No. 3, text and plate (1869).Pallasicarbo perspicillatusCoues, Osprey III, p. 144 (1899).

Graculus perspicillatusElliot, New and heret. unfig. sp. N. Amer. B. II, part 14, No. 3, text and plate (1869).

Pallasicarbo perspicillatusCoues, Osprey III, p. 144 (1899).

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