THE POE BIRD. 



159 



easily domesticated, and becoming very familiar with those who belong to the household. 

 Independently of its handsome and rather peculiar color, which make it very effective in a 

 room, it possesses several other qualifications which render it a very desirable inhabitant of an 

 aviary. Its native notes are very fine, the bird being considered a remarkably fine songster, 

 and it also possesses the power of mimicking in a degree surpassing that of the common mag- 

 pie or raven, and hardly yielding even to the famous mocking-bird himself. It learns to speak 

 with great accuracy and fluency, and readily imitates any sound that may reach its ear, being 

 especially successful in its reproduction of the song of other birds. 



While at liberty in its native land it is remarkable for its quick, restless activity, as it flits 

 rapidly about the branches, pecking here and there at a stray insect, diving into the recesses 



POE BIRD. Prwttiemadera noca-seelandla. 



of a newly opened flower, and continually uttering its shrill, sharp whistle. Although one of 

 the large group of Meliphagidfe or Honey-eaters, the Poe' Bird feeds less upon honey than 

 upon insects, which it discovers with great sharpness of vision, and catches in a particularly 

 adroit manner. It will also feed upon worms, and sometimes varies its diet by fruits. 



In New Zealand it is often killed for the sake of its flesh, which is said to be very delicate 

 and well-flavored, its beautiful feathers and interesting character affording no safeguard 

 against the voracity of hungry New Zealanders ; although, to borrow the expression of Dr. 

 Bennett when speaking of the nautilus, such delinquency is enough to put any scientific nat- 

 uralist into a fever. 



The general color of the Poe Bird is a very deep metallic green, becoming black in certain 

 lights, and having a decided bronze reflection in others. The back is deep brown, also with a 

 bronze reflection, and upon the shoulders there is a patch of pure white. On the back of the 

 neck the feathers are long and lancet-shaped, each feather having a very narrow white streak 

 along its centre. From each side of the neck depends a tuft of snowy curling downy feathers, 

 spreading in fan-like fashion from their bases. This creature is called the Parson Bird because 

 these white tufts are thought to bear some resemblance to the absurd parallelograms of white 



