70 Transactions. — Zoology. 



day following, in the Makuri Gorge, I saw another of these 

 birds carrying a feather, evidently for nest-building purposes. 



Eurystomus pacificus, Latham. (The Australian Dollar- 

 bird.) 



I have already recorded several occurrences of this vagrant 

 species in New Zealand, chiefly on the west coast of the South 

 Island. The following paragraph recently appeared in the 

 New Zealand Herald (Auckland) : — 



" Some specimens of the Australian Dollar-bird have ap- 

 peared in the Wairoa district, and some of them have been 

 shot out of curiosity. They are entirely insectivorous, as can 

 be seen by a careful observer, and as was proved by a post- 

 mortem examination of one." 



This was in the month of November. It is to be hoped 

 that the species will become a permanent resident with us. 

 Another useful Australian bird, Gymnorhina tibicen, introduced 

 by the settlers, is becoming well established in various parts 

 of the country. 



Stringops habroptilus, Gray. (The Kakapo.) 



Captain Mair writes me that, according to the Maoris, on 

 Hauhangataho, an isolated hill about ten miles to the west- 

 ward of Euapehu and the watershed of the Manganuiateao, 

 Kakapos are still plentiful. His informant, Wi Takerei, showed 

 him the feathers of two he had killed at the foot of the Kai- 

 manawa Eange, near Tokano. 



The food of the Kakapo consists entirely of vegetable 

 matter, and it has a prodigious appetite. In a standard 

 American work appears the extraordinary statement that it 

 "burrows in the ground or in holes in the rocks, and feeds 

 upon worms and grubs" ! 



I have never met with an albino Kakapo, but several of 

 my specimens show a strong tendency to yellow, some of them 

 having the plumage of the underparts entirely suffused with 

 that colour. 



Platycercus unicolor. Gray. (The Antipodes Island Parra- 

 keet.) 



Several more specimens of this interesting Parrakeet have 

 been brought by the "Hinemoa" from Antipodes Island. 

 Although captured as adult birds they take readily to con- 

 finement, and do not fret, as most other birds do, at being 

 caged. I have noticed that this species has a habit of resting 

 at night in an upright position, holding on to the wires of its 

 cage by both bill and feet. 



