473

439

great Coot of that country. I continue in hopeful expectation of the opportunity of
working out more closely the affinities of Notornis by receiving, through some fortunate
finder and friendly contributor an entire skeleton of the bird. The ardent and accom-
plished students of the avifauna of New Zealand incline, however, to the opinion that
the flightless Coot has become extinct.

It is true that a second skin of this bird was obtained by Mr. Walter Mantell, of
whom it was obtained by purchase, together with the first skin, by the Trustees of the
British Museum. I have not been able to ascertain the precise locality in which this
second example of the living Notornis was taken or the circumstances of the capture.

Dr. Buller, in his excellent work on the living birds of New Zealand, writes : -
"Mr. Mantell was fortunate enough to secure a second specimen of Notornis ; and
these examples, the only two known, having been carefully mounted by Mr. Bartlett,
now stand side by side in the National Collection of Great Britain, and, like the remains
of the Dodo in the adjoining case, daily attract the attention of thousands of eager
visitors!" 1

Dr. Buller correctly states that the "second specimen, which is supposed to be a
female, is somewhat smaller than the first in all its dimensions, has the colours gene-
rally duller, and the olive-green of the upper parts shaded brown" 2.

The first specimen he describes as that of an "adult male." No opportunity, how-
ever, was given in either instance for dissection by a person competent to determine the
sex ; and the supposed 'female' may have been an immature bird in an early phase of
plumage. Dr. Buller gives as the native names of the Notornis, 'Moho,' 'Takahe,' and
'Tokohea.' But the remark quoted by Dr. Mantell from his son's letter, that the
natives of the pahs and villages in his route homeward along the South Island, and
at Wellington on the North Island, regarded the bird-skin as "a perfect novelty"
must be borne in mind.

The date of the extinction of Notornis in the North Island may have been that of the
Dinornis, Apteryx, and Cnemiornis. Even in the South Island, which was less peopled
by the Maories, the Notornis would seem to have been driven to the south-west extre-
mity, where I am still in hopes that, as Dr. Buller remarks, " Although no examples
of the Notornis have, since 1848, been obtained, it does not necessarily follow that the
species is absolutely extinct. The recluse habits of such a bird would account for its
escaping notice in the only partially explored portions of the country" 3.

In Stewart's Island and contiguous portions of dry land to the south-west of the South
Island of New Zealand search might be made.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE.

FRONTISPIECE TO VOL. I.

Side view of the larger specimen of the Notornis in the British Museum : nat. size.
1 'A History of the Birds of New Zealand,' by Walter Lawry Buller, Sc.D., F.L.S., &c. 4to, 1872, p.192.
2 Ib. p. 189. 3 Op. cit. p. 192.
3 Y 2