Zoological Society. 55 



expressly on faithfulness of execution and personal observation, 

 there should not be here and there some little matter for criticism, 

 but it will be found that with that nicety of tact which is so charac- 

 teristic of her sex, Mrs. Hussey has avoided in general such diffi- 

 culties. 



Of the original drawings of Mrs. Hussey and her sister it is impos- 

 sible to speak too highly ; many of them are so exquisite as to be 

 positively fit for public exhibition, and so characteristic that it is im- 

 possible not at once to recognise the species. These are reproduced 

 faithfully by the lithographer, but there is a certain want of force 

 about the lithographs which does not do justice to the originals. This 

 and some other points connected with the editorial department will 

 we doubt not be improved in the course of publication. Meanwhile 

 we recommend the work most cordially to our readers, who will find 

 accurate and beautiful illustration combined with much practical 

 and interesting matter, especially as regards the culinary use of these 

 neglected but by no means despicable objects. 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 



April 13, 1847. — Wm. Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Notes on some rare Birds of New Zealand and Australia. By 

 Mr. F. Strange, in a letter to John Gould, Esq., F.R.S. etc 



" Strigops habroptilus, G. R. Gray. — The Ka-ka-po, or Night 

 Parrot of the New Zealanders, is an inhabitant of the western side of 

 the Middle island, and like the Kiivi-kiwi or Apteryx is strictly noc- 

 turnal in its habits, and never leaves its retreat during the dny ; its 

 usual place of resort consists of burrows, formed by itself, beneath 

 the roots of large trees or under immense pieces of rock, whence they 

 cannot, even by the natives, be easily dug out. Its food consists of 

 fern-roots, which it digs up with its bill, and the outer covering of 

 the leaves of flax, which it obtains by drawing the leaves between the 

 mandibles and leaving the flax behind. They are not gregarious, 

 more than two never being found together, except a pair of young 

 ones, which appear to stop with the old birds until they have attained 

 the size of their parents. This is one of the birds the natives set 

 great store by, the head being cut off, strung by the nostrils, and 

 worn in the ears on their grand feast-days. It is known to the sealers 

 by the name of the Green Bird of New Zealand. 



" Apteryx Australis. — Kiwi-kiwi of the New Zealanders. I am 

 told that a second species of Apteryx is to be found on the Middle 

 island, that it stands about three feet high ; it is called by the sealers 

 the Fireman. Aware, from your figures and description, that the 

 sexes differ considerably in size, I pointed this out to my informant ; 

 but he still persisted that there are two species, in confirmation of 

 which opinion he added, that he had taken the eggs of the two birds, 



