( 380 ) 



manner of yonng nestlings, bad an abnormally large stomacb. It is evident tbat 

 the bird usually lays two eggs ; occasionally, however, there is only one, and Mr. 

 Cheeseniau iiit'orms me of two well authenticated instances of tiiree eggs in the nest — 

 one in the Waitakerei Ranges and the other at Haglan. In both cases the eggs were 

 brought to the Auckland Museum, and the fact vouched for to his satisfaction. 



" The natives state tliat the Kiwi begins to lay in August, which is quite likely 

 to be true, as the eggs must take a long period to incubate. It will be remembered 

 that Mr. Bartlett's bird (mentioned on page 314) sat on perseveringly from the 

 beginning of January to the 2.Jth of April. In further support of this view I may 

 mention the following circumstance. Among the live birds brought from I'irongia 

 was a female which appeared to be carrying a well-developed egg in the oviduct, 

 inasmuch as it movediabout with awkwardness and habitually rested on the tarsus 

 horizontally as described at page 314. She was more untractable than the other 

 birds, attacking the hand when approached, striking savagely forward with her feet, 

 and uttering at the same time a low growl. This bird was killed by an accident 

 about the middle of February following ; and on dissection 1 found a memliranous 

 egg, about two-thirds the full size, the shell not having yet formed. In the 

 ordinary course a fortnight would probably have elapsed before the exclusion of the 

 egg for incubation. Again, among the birds captured by my party there were three 

 young birds of the year : that is to say, of such a size as to make it probable they 

 had been hatched out about April or Ma)'. If the conclusion thus pointed to is the 

 true one, the nesting operations of the Kiwi must extend over a great portion of the 

 year ; in which case its reproduction is not the least interesting feature in the 

 natural history of this anomalous bird. In all the eggs I opened (save one freshly 

 laid) there was enclosed with the well-developed feathered chick, a tough 

 membranous sac, connected with the embryo and containing several ounces of yellow 

 fatty substance (Vitellus). When all this adipose matter has been absorbed into 

 its system, the chick, having in the meantime expanded to its full size, cracks its 

 tabernacle and comes out into the world ready for active service. It is very soon 

 able to forage for itself, and increases rapidly in size, inasmuch as the young which 

 I attempted to rear had more than doubled their size in six months. 



" The eggs, which are broadly ellijitical in form, vary somewhat in size. The 

 largest of those collected by us measured 5-30 inches in length by 3-30 in breadth ; 

 and the smallest 4-5 by 2'7. The latter weighed exactly IH ounces, being just 

 4 ounces less than the weight of our largest. Two other eggs of full size weighed 

 respectively 14 oz. and 15J oz. They vary likewise in form, some being more 

 elliptical than others, whilst one in my possession is perfectly oval. 8ome are pure 

 white when laid, others have a greenish-grey tint ; but owing to the long period of 

 incnbation they get much soiled by contact with the bird,* the shell becoming a 

 dirty yellowish-brown colour. This is easily washed off, by the application of a 

 brush, in soap and cold water ; but I think it is necessary to do this whilst the egg 

 is fresh, for there is a greasy matter on the surface which would no doubt make the 

 discoloration permanent if allowed to become perfectly dry. The fresh egg on 

 being emptied of its contents exhibited a delicate pink tint on the inner surface of 

 the shell ; but this was absent in those containing chicks." 



I have very little to add to Sir Walter Buller's notes. To me it seems almost 



* It is in my opinion not so much the contact with the bird— or its feet, as elsewhere stated — but 

 with tlie soil and nesting material, that discolours the egg of the Kiwis, like those of other birds (Pnilinj) 

 for example). 



