The geographical distribution of animals, with a study of the relations ...

—454 ZOOLOGICAL GEOGRAPHY. [part hi.wood-hen (0. sylvestris).There is also a peculiar thrush, Turdusvinitinctus. Its other birds are wholly of Australian types, andmost of them probably Australian species. The following havebeen observed, and no doubt constitute nearly its whole indigenousbird fauna.Acanthiza sp., Bhipidura sp., Pachycephala gutturalis,Zosterops strennuus and Z. tephropleurus, Strepera sp.,Halcyon sp., and Chalcophaga chrysochlora.The two species ofZosterops are peculiar. The Ocydromus is important enough toally this island to New Zealand rather than to Australia ;and ifthe white bird seen there is, as supposed, the Notornis alba whichis extinct in Norfolk Island, the connection will be renderedstill more clear.Chatham Islands.—These small islands, 450 miles east of NewZealand, possess about 40 species of birds, of which 13 are landbirds.All but one belong to New Zealand genera, and all butfive are New Zealand species. The following are the genera ofthe land-birds : Sphenoeacus, Gerygone, Myiomoira, Bhipidura,Zosterops, Anthus, Prosthemadera, Anthornis, Chrysococcyx, Cyanoramphus,Carpophaga, Circus. The peculiar species are Anthornismelanoccphala, Myiomoira, difenbachi and M. traversi,Bhipidura flabellifera, and a peculiar rail incapable of flight,named by Captain Hutton Cabalus modestus. It is stated thatthe Zosterops differs from that of New Zealand, and is also amigrant ; and it is therefore believed to come every year fromAustralia, passing over New Zealand, a distance of nearly 1,700miles ! Furtherinvestigation will perhaps discover some otherexplanation of the facts. It is also stated, that the pigeon andone of the small birds (? Gerygone or Zosterops) have arrived atthe islands within the last eight years. The natives further declare,that both the Stringops and Apteryx once inhabited theislands, but were exterminated about the year 1835.The Auckland Islands.—These are situated nearly 300 milessouth of New Zealand, and possess six land-birds, of which threeare peculiar,Anthus auchlandicus, Cyanoramphus aucklandicus,and C. malherbii, the others being New Zealand species ofMyiomoira, Prosthemadera, and Anthornis. It is remarkablethat two peculiar parrots of the same genus should inhabit these