Publications Archive

Birds were counted in four forest areas and an area of cutover forest in early summer. Marked differences in species composition and numbers counted were found. The role of soil fertility and vegetation in determining differences is discussed. Some observations on seasonal movements are given and a comparison is made with counts made at Reefton. The implications of these findings for reserves in Westland forests is discussed.

1979. pp. 247, 48 colour plates. Reviewers, D. H. Brathwaite & J. Warham

Fossil counterparts of giant penguins from the North Pacific, by Storrs L. Olson & Yoshikazu Hasegawa. 1979. Science 206, 9 November.

Subfossil remains of a large flightless coot were first discovered on Chatham Island (Fulica chathamensis), and subsequently in the South Island by (Fulica prisca). Further discoveries have considerably enlarged the geographic range on the New Zealand mainland. However, general agreement on the number of forms admitted and their generic and specific status has yet to be reached.

This paper examines the field identification, distribution, and taxonomy of the six species of Pachyptila. Particular attention is given to the identification of storm-cast material. The data include observations of prions at sea, on their breeding grounds, and 10,086 specimens examined over a 21-year period from 1958 to 1979. The validity of the six recognised species of Pachyptila is reaffirmed, and one subspecies each of the fairy prion (Pachyptila turtur) and the fulmar prion (Pachyptila crassirostris) is retained. The need for further ecological data, better food analyses, and carefully defined behavioural studies is stressed. The value of biochemical genetics for elucidating the speciation mechanisms of Pachyptila emphasises the preliminary nature of the present findings.

Observations are given on vegetable foods of the brown creeper (Finschia novaeseelandiae) and on aspects of breeding. We examined 21 nests in the field and recorded some details of nesting, eggs (colour, clutch-size, proportion of time spent incubating) and nestlings (description of the hatchling, weights and tarsal lengths).