Buller. — Notes on New Zealand Birds. 85 



schooner ' Eoswell King,' informs me that they build no nests 

 whatever, carrying the egg about in a pouch between the legs, 

 and only laying it down for the purpose of changing it from 

 male to female. The pouch, if there is one, can be no more 

 than a fold of the skin, since none was noticed in skinning or 

 measuring the specimens." 



In my account of this species ("Birds of New Zealand," 

 vol. ii., pp. 306, 307) I omitted to mention, on the authority 

 of Professor Hutton, that in 1878 a live one was taken on the 

 coast at Moeraki, and forwarded to the Otago Museum. 



Apteryx bulleri, Sharpe. (The North Island Kiwi.) 



Of late a good many examples have been obtained in the 

 wooded district south of New 7 Plymouth, which is fast being 

 occupied by settlers. In August last a nest containing two 

 eggs was discovered by a man who was felling bush on the 

 property of Messrs. Stretton and Jobson. These specimens 

 are now in Mr. Drew's interesting little museum at Wanga- 

 nui, and one of them, before being emptied of its contents, 

 was found to weigh 15oz. 90gr. 



Examples from certain localities are very dark in their 

 colouring, being almost black, even the tarsi and toes being 

 brownish-black. 



Apteryx australis, Shaw. (The South Island Kiwi.) 



I recently received a live example of this species from 

 Milford Sound, and kept it for a time in my enclosure. At a 

 glance its distinctness from Apteryx maxima was apparent. 

 Its white-horn-coloured bill and its flesh-white feet, the 

 streaky character of the plumage, owing to a light-brown 

 stripe down the centre of each feather, irrespective of its 

 smaller size, make it readily distinguishable from the last- 

 named species. On placing the bird in the Kiwi-yard it was at 

 home at once, retiring into the empty cask provided for it. In 

 disposition this bird differs entirely from my other captive Kiwis 

 — Apteryx maxima, Apteryx haasti, and Apteryx oivcni — being 

 far more fierce and aggressive. On approaching the cask, 

 soon after he had taken up his quarters there, the bird came 

 out and gave battle at once, even in the daylight, grunting 

 angrily and striking forward with his feet, which are armed 

 with very sharp claws. 



This bird, although in excellent condition, died suddenly 

 without any apparent cause. Possibly it accidentally got at 

 some poison which had been deposited in a rat-hole. It gave 

 the following measurements : Extreme length, to end of tail, 

 28in. ; to end of outstretched legs, 34-5in. ; culmen (measuring 

 from anterior edge of fleshy cere), 5-25in. ; along edge of lower 

 mandible, Gin. ; tarsus, 3in. ; middle toe and claw, 3-5in. ; 



