( 372 ) 



" Apiertjx AustrtiViA. 



Colour, pale grejish-brown, darkest on the 



back. 

 Entire length, 30 inches. 

 Bill from forehead. 6 in. 

 Tarsus (reticulated), '2i in. 

 Middle toe and claw, 35 in. 

 Claws nearly equal in length, and white. 

 Wings with soft slender quills ; face with short 



hairs. 



" .l/iteii/r MniiteUi. 



Colour, dark rufous brown, darkest on the back. 



Entire length, 23 inches. 



Bill from forehead, 4 in. 



Tarsus (scutulated), I'j in. 



Middle toe and claw, "2i in. 



Middle claw longest, all the claws dark horn- 

 colour. 



Wings with strong thick quills ; face with long 

 straggling hairs. 



" In conclusion, I wonkl remark that the specimen of Apfoyx Australis belong- 

 ing to Dr. Mantell was collected by his son in Dusky Bay ; and 1 liave been 

 informed by J. E. Gray, Esq., that the original bird described by Ur. 8haw was 

 brought from the same locality. As far as I am able to ascertain, all the specimens 

 of Apter)/.r ^fflnteU^ are from the Xorth Island." 



This description is so accnrate, that, even without the indication of the locality, 

 which is clearly added, it would have been sufficient to admit the name Mantelli. 

 It must have been a curious misunderstanding which caused Dr. Sharpe to rename 

 the North Island Kiwi and call it .1. biilleri, a name which was unfortunately also 

 accepted by Buller in his works. 



Specimens of this form are recorded from the Pirongia Ranges, Upper 

 "Wanganui River, mountainous part of the Hokianga district, small islands of 

 the Gulf of Hanraki, Kaimanawa Range, Kawhia district, Waitakerei Ranges, 

 Raglan, Waikato coal-mines (18<i6), Taupiri, Piako Ranges, Howick. Buller says 

 in 1888: "To the present day they linger on some of the small islands in the 

 Gulf of Hauraki ; for although so singular a fact has often been called in question, 

 resting as it apparently did on the mere assertion of the natives, the matter was 

 placed beyond all dispute by Mr. T. Kirk, who obtained several himself on the 

 Little Barrier." 



The Kiwis are very swift runners, and can make very good use of their 

 extremely powerful legs. They are always ready to kick at any object approaching 

 them closely. In kicking they strike forward like an Emu or an Ostrich, but 

 I have seen an Aptcryx australis from Stewart Island frequently kick backwards 

 as well as forwards. The blow from a Kiwi's foot is strong enough to rip open 

 a dog's leg, and will cut a man's hand to the bnne. As is well known, they are 

 nocturnal in habits, but at Tring several North Island Apteryx frequently came out 

 of their shed and basked in the sun. The cries of this Kiwi could be heard nearly 

 all over the little town of Tring, when I had dozens of them alive in a paddock near 

 the Museum ; and even now they can be heard all the year round from a pair I 

 still keej) near the Museum. They seem to cry when it pleases them, but by no 

 means more than usual on dark and wet nights ; on the contrary, I think, most 

 on clear, moonlight nights. They cry chiefly between eight and twelve, and are 

 apparently silent for the rest of the night, but in winter they can be heard from 

 about six to ten o'clock and later. The cry of the male is a somewhat hoarse, 

 slirill whistle, often distinctly like Ki-i-wi, often shorter, more in one syllable. 

 The female answers in a less loud, harsher and shorter more screaming note'. 

 The young and half-grown birds also, according to Sir Walter Buller, call to 

 each other, the male in a thinner whistle and the female in a thick husky way. 

 Sometimes, but rarely, a low cackling or grunting note is heard, probably of 



