(PLATE 5, FIG. 3.)
_Traversia lyalli_ Rothschild, Bull. B.O.C. IV p. X (December 29th,
1894); Nov. Zool. 1895, p. 81.
_Xenicus insularis_ Buller, Ibis 1895, p. 236, pl.
_Traversia insularis_ Buller, Suppl. B.N.Z. II p. 109, pl. X (1906).
In 1894 I described this remarkable little bird as follows: "_Traversia_,
gen. nov. _Xenicidarum_. Differs in several important points both from
_Xenicus_ and _Acanthidositta_. Bill much larger and stouter, very little
shorter, if at all, than the tarsus; the latter about as long as middle toe
without claw, or the hind toe and claw, while in _Xenicus_ and
_Acanthidositta_ it is about twice as long as the hind toe. The principal
difference, however, is the weakness of the wing, which suggests
flightlessness, as does also the very soft and loose character of the
entire plumage, and the very Ralline aspect of the bird. There are only ten
tail-feathers, and the scutellation of the tarsus is like that of
_Xenicus_. These two points determine its position in the _Xenicidae_ at
once (cf. Sclater, Cat. B. XIV, p. 450).
"The type is: _Traversia lyalli_, sp. nov.
"Male. Above dark brownish olive-yellow, each feather with a brownish-black
border. A narrow distinct yellow superciliary line. Wings and tail
umber-brown, the inner webs darker; wing-coverts like back. Chin, throat,
and breast chrome-yellow, each feather slightly edged with greyish brown.
Flanks, abdomen, and vent pale brown, centre of feathers paler.
"Female. Upper surface umber-brown, each feather bordered with very dark
brown; wings and tail similar. Under surface buffy grey, the feathers edged
with pale brown. Total length about 4 inches, culmen 0.6, wing 1.8 to 1.9,
tail 0.8, but much concealed, tarens 0.75, middle toe 0.65, hind toe
without claw 0.5. {24}
"Habitat: Stephens Island, New Zealand. Discovered by Mr. Dr. Lyall,
lighthouse-keeper, and sent to me by Mr. Henry H. Travers."
I received nine specimens of this new bird, and was not aware that any
others had been taken at that time. As I was unable to attend the December
meeting, 1894, of the British Ornithologists Club, I asked Dr. Hartert to
exhibit the birds in my name. When he had done so and had read the
description, the Chairman, Dr. P. L. Sclater, said that the bird had also
been received for illustration and description in the Ibis, from Sir Walter
Buller, and he asked Dr. Hartert if I would not withdraw my description.
Dr. Hartert said that this was unfortunate, but he had no authority to
withdraw my description, and he and Dr. Sharpe thought that the proceedings
of the meeting should be printed without consideration of any manuscripts
which might refer to the same bird. No doubt this was hard luck on Sir
Walter Buller, but it would have been equally hard luck for me if he had
forestalled me with the new bird. He had only one specimen, I had nine, of
both sexes, and I had paid a high price for them, as types of a new bird.
My type is in Tring, and, as everybody knows, available for study by any
competent ornithologist, while Buller's type was not in any museum, and it
was uncertain to whom he would sell it afterwards. I suppose it is now in
the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, to which Buller's third collection, 625
specimens, was sold for a thousand pounds, as Buller himself tells us in
his Supplement II, p. 167, under the heading of _Glaucopis wilsoni_! On the
same page Sir Walter Buller also tells us that his "second collection" was
sold to me, but he makes a mistake about the price, as I certainly did not
pay a thousand pounds for it.
I mentioned these unimportant details, because Buller rather bitterly and
severely complained about my describing the Stephens' Island Wren, on p.
111 of his supplement. I may only add that of course my name, being
published in December, 1894, has the priority over his, which was not
published before April, 1895.
The history of _Traversia lyalli_ is perhaps the most extraordinary of any
bird known. All the specimens I am aware of, viz., the eight now in my
collection, the type of "_Xenicus insularis_" in Buller's former
collection, one in the late Canon Tristram's collection, one in the British
Museum (ex Tring), and two or more offered some years ago by Mr. Travers,
were brought in by the lighthouse-keeper's cat. Evidently this feline
discoverer has at the same time been the exterminator of _Traversia
lyalli_, and many may have been digested by that unique cat, as in letters
received from Mr. Travers I {25} have been told that no more specimens
could be obtained, and Buller (l.c.) says: "Very diligent search has been
made on Stephen Island for further specimens of the Island Wren, but
without success, and there is too much reason to fear that this species has
almost immediately after its discovery become extinct."
Habitat: Stephen Island, a small, partly wooded islet, about a square mile
in extent, in Cook Strait. It is almost impossible that this bird has only
existed on Stephen Island. It must have been overlooked on d'Urville Island
or the "mainland," where it probably became extinct--through rats and cats,
and similar pests--long ago.
{27}