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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 64

New Zealand Collections

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New Zealand Collections.

The New Zealand Collections are at present scattered [unclear: four] Various parts of the building. It is intended at some future time to collect them together into a wing to be built on to the south end of the present hall.

Mammalia.

The only indigenous terrestrial Mammalia possessed by New Zealand are two kinds of Bats. The commoner of [unclear: then] (Scotophilus tuberculatus) will be found in Desk Case 24, First Gallery. It is often seen about Dunedin in the evenings. The other kind, which has longer ears [unclear: and] a short tail (Mystacina velutina*), is not represented in the collection. The so-called New Zealand Rat and Dog are now considered to have been introduced by the [unclear: Maoris]. Remains of the Rat and the Dog will be found [unclear: in] Desk Case 27, First Gallery. Five species of Seals are found in New Zealand and the neighbouring islands. Three of these are represented in the collection, and will be found at the north end of the Ground Floor in the centre of the hall. The Fur Seal (Arctocephalus cinereus) is still common in the West Coast Sounds, &c. Hookers Seal (Arctocephalus hookeri) is common in the Auckland and Campbell Islands, but it is also found in New Zealand. The Sea Leopard (Stenorliynchus leptonyx) is distributed ever the Antarctic Ocean, but is nowhere numerous. The two species not yet represented are the Sea Lion (Otaria page 30 jubata) which is reported to live at the Auckland [unclear: Islands] and the Sea Elephant (Morunga), which is still found [unclear: at] Macquarie Island. This species was formerly found [unclear: at] New Zealand. Fragments of a skull of a young [unclear: individual] from the Maori cooking place at Shag Point will [unclear: be] found in Desk Case 27, First Gallery; and a fossil skull [unclear: at] an adult, from the Oamaru silt, in Case 1. Of [unclear: Whale] and Dolphins (Cetacca), New Zealand possesses at [unclear: least] 16 species. Of these a fine skeleton of a young [unclear: Right] Whale (Eubalcena australiensis), 29 feet long, [unclear: occupies] the centre of the Hall. The teeth are represented [unclear: by] Baleen, the "whalebone" of commerce, of which in [unclear: the] present specimen there are 281 plates in each jaw. [unclear: It] was caught at Waikouaiti in September, 1875. [unclear: Alongside] it is a skeleton of the Black-fish ([unclear: Globiocephalus] macrorliynchus) or Grampus. It is one of the [unclear: toothed] whales. The teeth are, however, much better [unclear: developed] in the Killer (Orca australis), a skull of which is on [unclear: the] top of the small case in the N. W. corner of the hall. [unclear: Next] to this is a skull of the Bottle-nosed Whale ([unclear: Mesplodes] hectori), which has only two teeth in the lower jaw, [unclear: is] this case will also be found skulls of the Cow-fish ([unclear: tursis] metis); and of two different Porpoises (Clymenia [unclear: obscure] and Electra clancula).

* See Transactions N. Z. Institute, vol. iv., p. 185.

Extinct Birds.

The most remarkable fact in the Natural History [unclear: of] New Zealand is, that not many hundreds of years ago [unclear: the] less than fourteen different kinds of Moa (Dinornis) [unclear: was] living in these islands. Skeletons of seven of these [unclear: species] will be found at the south end of the Ground [unclear: Flox,] in the centre of the Hall. The skeleton of D. [unclear: robustue] is that of a single individual found at Highley Hill, but [unclear: as] make it more complete, a few of the upper neck [unclear: vertebre], the toes, and the pelvis, have been added. There [unclear: is] species (D. maximus) rather larger than this, of which [unclear: is] possess no skeleton. The skeleton of D. struthioides [unclear: is] manufactured from bones found in a swamp near [unclear: Humilton]. The skull, pelvis, and legs belong to this [unclear: speed] but the vertebrae and ribs probably do not. D. [unclear: elephanto] page 31 [unclear: put is] also a manufactured skeleton from the same place, [unclear: but in] this case we may safely assume that all the bones [unclear: belong to] this species, as it was the commonest, and larger than [unclear: the] others. The skeleton of D. crassus was found in a [unclear: limestone] cave, near the Waitaki. It is nearly [unclear: complete], except three toe bones and two sternal ribs on the right [unclear: side,] which have been supplied from the Hamilton [unclear: collection]. The head and first twelve cervical vertebræ are [unclear: from] an individual of the same species found at Shag [unclear: point]. This is the second best skeleton in the world—the [unclear: best] being one that was obtained at Tiger Hill, in [unclear: Otago], in 1863, and sent to the York Museum, in [unclear: England] The skeleton of D. gravis is manufactured from [unclear: the] Hamilton collection, as also is that of D. didiformis. [unclear: The skeleton] of D. casuarinus was found while making [unclear: the road] by the South Recreation Ground, Dunedin; the [unclear: skull,] upper neck vertebræ, and right metatarsus, have been [unclear: added]. In the same enclosure are skeletons of the [unclear: Ostrich], Rhea, and Cassowary, for comparison. Further [unclear: ins] of the Moa will be found in the First Gallery, [unclear: Desk Cases] 25 and 26. Here will be seen a leg and foot of [unclear: D. ingens], with the skin and tendons attached. It was [unclear: found] in a crevice on the Knobby Ranges. Also a neck of [unclear: D. crassus], with the skin and many of the vessels [unclear: remaining;] this was found in a cave near Alexandra. In the [unclear: same] case are specimens of skin, and feathers of three [unclear: different] species. The skull of D. gravis is the most perfect [unclear: in the] world, and the bony eye-ring (sclerotic) is unique.

[unclear: In Case] 26 are the complete tail bones of two individuals from [unclear: Shag] Point; a scapulo-coracoid, the only bone [unclear: representing the] wing in the Moa, from Hamilton; stones [unclear: from the] gizzard, and a foot-print in sandstone, from [unclear: Poverty] Bay. We also see in the burnt and broken [unclear: bones] proofs that the Maoris killed and ate the Moa. Close [unclear: to,] in Upright Case 5, are vertebral columns of [unclear: different] individuals, and below them some very perfect pelves; one [unclear: of] which is that of a young bird not finished growing, In [unclear: Upright] Case 4, are eight legs and feet of individual [unclear: Birds, of] which four have a hind toe. In Desk Case 26 are [unclear: the leg] bones and pelvis of an individual D. curtus, [unclear: found at] Lyell Bay, Wellington. This is the smallest [unclear: known] species of Moa. Models of three different eggs of the [unclear: Moa] and fragments of egg shells will be found in Desk page 32 Case 39 Upper Gallery.* In Desk Case 27, First [unclear: Galle] are the bones of Aptornis, a large extinct kind of [unclear: Ra] and also a few of Harpagornis, a huge eagle, also [unclear: exti] In Upright Case 3 will be found a nearly complete [unclear: ske]ton of Cnemiornis calcitrane, an extinct goose [unclear: incapa] of flight, and allied to the Cape Barron Goose (see [unclear: Upright] Case 50, Upper Gallery). This skeleton is [unclear: manufact] from material found at Hamilton. Near it is a [unclear: compl] skeleton of Clangtela finschi, manufactured from [unclear: mater] found in a cave near Alexandra. Its nearest ally [unclear: is] the Golden Eye Duck of Europe (Clangula islandica), [unclear: Upri] Case 51, Upper Gallery). The egg of this bird from [unclear: the] same locality will be found in Desk Case 40, [unclear: Upper] Gallery.

* In addition, there is a large collection of Moa [unclear: bones in] the basement hall, to which the student may have access by [unclear: applying] to the Curator.

Living Birds.

These are in Upright Cases 27 to 32, Upper [unclear: Galley] One hundred and fifty-eight different kinds of [unclear: birds] as known from New Zealand, and of these the Museum [unclear: of] lection contains one hundred and twenty. The first [unclear: thing] that will strike the visitor is the very small number [unclear: of] Land birds in proportion to the number of Shore [unclear: and] Water birds. In the New Zealand Collection the [unclear: for] occupy only 2 out of 8 cases, or a quarter the space, [unclear: which] in the general collection they occupy 28 out of 56 [unclear: cases], or one half the space. The most interesting birds in [unclear: C] 27 are the Parrots. We see here some beautiful [unclear: variet] of the Kaka (Nestor meridionalis), and of the [unclear: Cr] top Parakeet (Platycercus novœ zelandiœ.) [unclear: The] variety is exceedingly rare. The Kea ([unclear: Nestor] inhabits the snowy mountains only. Of late years [unclear: it has] become very destructive by devouring living sheep. [unclear: Be] low there is a young Kakapo (Stingops habroptilus), [unclear: put] out of the egg. It is a pure white colour. The [unclear: two] Cuckoos that inhabit New Zealand are both [unclear: migratory] The Long-tailed Cuckoo (Eudynamis taitensis) goes [unclear: in] the winter to the Society Islands; while the [unclear: Shi]

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[unclear: Cucroo] (Chrysococcyx lucidus) goes to Australia. Among [unclear: the] many remarkable facts connected with the migration [unclear: of] birds, there is nothing in the whole world so [unclear: wonderful] as the regular migration of these birds to the Islands [unclear: of] New Zealand over 1,500 miles of ocean.

[unclear: Case 28.] The Huia (Heteralocha acutirostris) is found [unclear: only] in the mountains between Wellington and Napier. [unclear: The] bills of the two sexes are of very different shapes. [unclear: The] male with his strong bill is said to hold open the [unclear: bark of a] tree, while the female introduces her long bill, [unclear: extracts], and eats the insects. The beautiful Stitch [unclear: Bird] (Pogonomis cincta) is found only in the North [unclear: Island], and is almost extinct on the main land. The New [unclear: Zealand] Quail (Coturnix novœ zealandiœ) is also on [unclear: the] verge of extinction. The Museum possesses only [unclear: one] very poor specimen. In this case also there is a [unclear: remarkable] variety of the Tit (Myiomoira macrocephala), of a [unclear: pale] yellow colour.

Case 29 contains the Grallœ or Wading Birds. The most interesting is the [unclear: Ckook-bill] (Anarhynclius [unclear: frontalis]), which is the only known bird with its bill curved to [unclear: one] side. Some naturalists suppose that this has been [unclear: caused] by its habit of running round stones. The Woodeens [unclear: or] Wekas (Ocydromus) are well represented; among them [unclear: are] black, white, and chestnut-coloured specimens. The [unclear: North] Island Wood-hen (Ocydromus earli) is quite [unclear: different] from those found in the South Island.

[unclear: Case] 30 is devoted to Ducks, every species found [unclear: in] New Zealand being represented. The most interesting is the [unclear: Flightless] Duck (Nesonetta aucklandica) of the [unclear: Auckland] Island. This bird cannot fly at all, but runs over [unclear: the] floating kelp, catching the small crustaceans on [unclear: it]. The Whittling Duck (Dendrocygna eytoni) is an [unclear: Australian] bird. The specimen is one of a flock of 14 [unclear: that] were first seen at Lovell's Flat, in Otago, in 1869, and afterwards lived on the Kaitangata Lagoon. It is [unclear: believed] that none now remain.

[unclear: Case] 31 and 32 contain the Gulls, Terns, and Petrels. [unclear: The most] interesting specimen is the young Albatross ([unclear: Diomedea] exulans), which was taken from the nest in [unclear: Campbell] Island. It is about ten months old, and is [unclear: still] covered with down. In size it is equal to the largest [unclear: bird] although it had never left the nest. The Diving [unclear: Petrel] (Halodroma urinatrix) differs very much from all page 34 other Petrels in being a very bad flier. On the [unclear: upper] shelf will be seen an albino variety of the Little [unclear: Gull] (Larus scopulinus).

Case 32 contains the Cormorants, or Shags, of [unclear: which] New Zealand possesses more kinds than any other [unclear: country]. In the upper part of Case 33 are the Penguins. [unclear: The] King Penguin (Aptenodytes pennanti) is no longer [unclear: found] in New Zealand, but still lives on Macquarie Island. [unclear: The] Black Penguin (Eudyptes atra), and the Brown [unclear: Penguin] (Eudyptes vittatus) are unique specimens, and are [unclear: the] types of the species. The specimen of Eudyptet [unclear: schlegeli] also is only the second specimen ever obtained, the [unclear: other] one being in the Levden Museum in Europe. Below [unclear: are] the Grebes and Kiwis. The Crested Grebe ([unclear: Pedicle] cristatus) found on our lakes is exactly the same as [unclear: that] found in Europe. Of the Kiwis (Apteryx) we [unclear: [unclear: po]] very line specimens of three species, but the fourth ([unclear: Apteryx] haasti) if not represented in the collection. [unclear: In] North Island Kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) is so very [unclear: the] Apteryx australis from the South Island, that it is [unclear: very] doubtful whether they should be considered distinct.

The New Zealand Birds' Eggs will be found in [unclear: De] Cases 39 and 40, Upper Gallery; and the Bird's [unclear: nest] in the small case in south-west corner of the Gallery.

Reptiles.

The reptiles of New Zealand are not numerous: [unclear: about] eight species of Lizards only. They will be found [unclear: in] Desk Case 24, First Gallery. The Tuatara ([unclear: Sphenodon] poutatum), which is now found only on a few rocky [unclear: islets is] the Bay of Plenty, and near Tory Channel in Cooks [unclear: Strait] is planed by Dr Günther in a separate order from all [unclear: other] lizards, on account of the affinity its [unclear: shows] in its [unclear: strut] to crocodiles. It is nearly related to reptiles that [unclear: lived] in the Triassic period at the commencement of the [unclear: Secondary] era. The Skinks (Scincidœ) are represented by [unclear: four] species belonging chiefly to the genus (Mocoa); [unclear: while the] Geckos (Geckoidœ) are represented by three species [unclear: of] the genus Naultinus.

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Amphibia.

[unclear: But] one species of Frog (Liopelma hochstetteri) is [unclear: indigenous] to New Zealand, and it is found only in the [unclear: Auckland] District. A specimen will be found in Desk [unclear: Case] 24, First Gallery.

Fishes.

[unclear: These] are in the upper part of Upright Cases 6 to 9, at [unclear: the] north end of the First Gallery.* One hundred and eighty seven different kinds of New Zealand Fishes have [unclear: been] described, and ninety-six of these are represented in [unclear: the] collection; very few, however, of those preserved in [unclear: spirit] are exhibited, from want of funds. The Bony [unclear: Fishes] (Teleostei) occupy the greater part of Cases 7 to 9. [unclear: In] addition, a Sword-fish (Histiophorus herscheli), [unclear: is] suspended in the Ground Floor, over Cases 13 and 14; [unclear: and a] Sun-fish (Orthagoriscus mola) over the Elephant. [unclear: Both] these fishes were caught in Dunedin Harbour. [unclear: Those] fishes in which the skeleton is cartilaginous, [unclear: Searks] and Rays (Chrondropterygii), are in Case 6.

[unclear: A specimen] of the Porbeagle Shark (Lamna cornubica) is [unclear: hung] over Case 5 on the Ground Floor; and one of the [unclear: Fox-shark], or Thresher (Alopecias vulpes), over Case 10. [unclear: A large] Sting-ray (Trygon brevicaudata) hangs against [unclear: the] north wall in the First Gallery. The Lamprey ([unclear: Geofria] chilensis), and the Hag (Bdellostoma cirrhatum), [unclear: will] be found in Upright Case 6.

[unclear: The] fishes introduced into New Zealand are in Desk [unclear: Case] 23. First Gallery. They [unclear: comprise] the Perch (Perca fiauiatilis), the Salmon-trout (Salmo trutta), and two [unclear: fine] specimens of the Trout (Salmo fario).

* [unclear: The] fossil fishes in [unclear: the] lower portions of these cases are from the South of France. See p. 28.

Mollusca.

[unclear: The] New Zealand Shells are in Desk Cases 67 to 73 First [unclear: Gallery]. About 414 marine shells are known, as well as page 36 86 land, and 22 fresh-water species. The collection contains [unclear: coutanis] 299 marine species, and several of the others, [unclear: but] the land and fresh water shells have not yet been [unclear: fully] named.

Insects.

These are as yet very imperfectly known. The [unclear: number] of described species up to the present is, Colcoptera ([unclear: Beetley] 587; Hymenoptera 53; Lepidoptera (Butterflies [unclear: and] Moths) 418; Diptera (Flies) 86; Neuroptera 47; [unclear: Orthoeptera] 37; [unclear: Hemiptera] 56. of which 34 belong to [unclear: Heteropters] and 22 to Homoptera. The main collection of New [unclear: Zealand] Insects is kept in the Library, and can be examined [unclear: by] application to the Curator, but a few of the [unclear: commoner] or more remarkable species will be found in Desk [unclear: Cases] to 27, Upper Gallery. Hardly anything is yet [unclear: know] about the New Zealand Spiders (Arachnida). Twenty-[unclear: one] species of Myriapoda (Centipedes) have been described, [unclear: of] which 13 are in the collection, but not exhibited. [unclear: The] Trap-door Spider (Nemesia gilliesii) and its nest [unclear: will] be found in Case 24.

Crustacea.

About 124 species have been described from Net [unclear: Zealand], but the smaller forms are almost entirely [unclear: unknown] The collection contains 43 species exhibited, besides [unclear: re] small ones not shown. They will be found in Desk [unclear: Cases] 22 and 23, Upper Gallery. There are in addition [unclear: It] species of Cirrvpedia (Barnacles) known, of which 12 [unclear: are] in the collection.

Echinod Ermata.

Thirty-nine species have been described, of [unclear: which] are in the collection. They are in Desk Cases 20 [unclear: and] 27, Upper Gallery. The Holothurians are not [unclear: exhibited].

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Vermes.

[unclear: These] are in Desk Cases 18 and 19. The Museum [unclear: collection] is rich in the animals belonging to this sub-[unclear: kingdom], but very few can be shown to the public. One [unclear: hundred] species of Polyzoa are known, of which we possess [unclear: 76]. Of the Annelida fifty-two species have been described. [unclear: These] as well as the Tunicata are accessible to students [unclear: on] application to the Curator. 41 species of Polyzoa and [unclear: 11] of Annelida are exhibited.

Cœlenterata.

[unclear: Four] species of Coral will be found in Desk Case 43, [unclear: Upper] Gallery, but only two of them have been named. [unclear: The] Tertularians are in the same case; twenty-five species [unclear: are] known, of which we have seventeen; eleven being [unclear: exhibited].

Protozoa.

[unclear: Nothing] as yet is known about the New Zealand Sponges. [unclear: The] different kinds in the collection will be found in Desk [unclear: Cases] 41 and 42 Upper Gallery. Three species of [unclear: Foranisifera] are in Case 41.

Herbarium.

[unclear: The] Herbarium is kept in the Library, and can be [unclear: consoled] on application to the Curator. It contains a very [unclear: good] collection of Hew Zealand plants, consisting of about [unclear: 850] species of flowering plants; 150 Ferns, and Fern [unclear: allies]; and about 350 species of Mosses and Hepaticæ.