NEW ZEALAND BIRDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18334, 26 February 1923, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND BIRDS.

VALUABLE COLLECTIONS.

ACQUISITION BY. CANTERBURY.

Slß'•■ W. BULLER'S SPECIMENS. ■i / V

The collection of New Zealand native birds of '• the ■ late Sir Walter . Buller has been acquired by , purchase for the Canterbury Museum from the representatives in England of Sir Walter. This collection is a very : valuable one, partly because of the number, excellent condition, arid rarity of the birds, and partly from the fact that it is tho Buller collection. The museum has acquired also a similar collection of the late Dr. B. M. Moorhous».

The* value to science of these collections' is even greater than their interest from the point of view of general natural history, for the Buller collection contains many of the specimens which Sir Walter examined while preparing his volumes on the "Birds of New Zealand," and the Moorhouse collection has probably on© of the best sets of native birds' eggs in existence. — '

Captain Button's "Index.to the Fauna of New Zealand" lists 104 genera and 193 species of birds, and of these 75 genera and 122 species are represented in the Bullcr collection. Fortunately, those not represented are chiefly sea birds, such as penguins, albatrosses, and petrels, and the migratory plover, none of which seem to be in danger of extinction, while, on' th© other hand, several of the most rare - or nearly extinct birds are represented by as many as four specimens. For instance, among the smaller perching bush birds, the Passeres of ornithology, there are four native crows, six huias, six saddle-backs, and six thrushes; the fern birds include one of the now extinct Chatham Islands birds, and the robins also include six from the same island. Among the honey-eaters are several bell-birds, two of which are from the Chatham Islands, a very fine albino tui, and, of very great value, four stitch birds in perfect plumage and condition. There are 11 wrens, two of which are the very rare rock-wren.' The birds of prey are fully represented, the pick of these being four of the probably extinct laughing owl, Bceloglaux albifacioß. Some of the most beautiful specimens are among the parrots, for Sir Walter Buller was always very eager to obtain the rare colour varieties of these birds.

Another very valuable collection has been acquired by the museum, that of the late Dr. Moorhouse, who died in 1921. The collection was given to the museum by the executors of the estate, in accordance with the wishes of Dr. Moorhouse. There are about 75 native birdskins, including several kakapoa and kiwis. _ The latter specimens form the most important part of the collection. There are also many New Zealand birds' eggs. These are exceedingly difficult to obtain now, and the collection is one of the best there is in existence.

Several eggs of birds of other conntries are also in the collection There ar« some very good specimens of New Guinea birds, including hornbills, the rare goura albersi 7a specimen of pigeon), the red bird of Paradise, the New Guinea black cockatoo, fruit-eating pigeons, lizards, bats, and native rats. The collection includes many New Zealand and some Polynesian and African ethnological specimens. j The collection of moa bones, which completes the bequest, is thought to' be one of the largest in the world.