212 Transactions. — Zoology. 



of the bird will sometimes cause the branch to bend down to 

 the lower ones, which affords a slight support. 



The kaka's habit of breaking twigs with its powerful beak 

 when searching for food is simply to clear its course and to 

 allow more scope and freedom to its movements. 



Nestor notabilis (Kea, or Mountain Parrot). 



Although the kea is not, as far as I know, an inhabitant of 

 the naked mountain- tops overlooking Lake Brunner, I may 

 here mention that the range of the species continues to extend 

 farther north every year, and ma}' soon extend to the higher 

 ranges in Westland. When Sir Walter Buller published his 

 last paper on the kea five years ago, he gave the ranges on the 

 upper reaches of the Eakaia as its extreme northern limit. 

 During the last three winters it has visited the ranges above 

 the Otira Gorge, thus showing its range to be extending 

 northwards. 



Platycercus novcB-zealandioi (Eed-fronted Parrakeet). 



P. auriccps (Yellow-fronted Parrakeet). 



Both species are abundant in the bush around the lake, 

 the first-named being the most numerous. In fruitful seasons 

 the food-supply of the parrakeets in this district must be pro- 

 digious, the berry-bearing trees being both robust and plentiful. 

 The two great irruptions during the last ten years must have 

 considerably lessened their numbers. Severe, late, or early 

 frosts are probably the chief cause of the failure of their food- 

 supply, compelling them to cross over the ranges and devastate 

 the orchards in the eastern districts. During the two irrup- 

 tions they perished in thousands, as every possible method 

 was tried to trap and destroy them ; yet they compensated 

 the settlers to a great extent by consuming the seeds of many 

 noxious weeds, which they attacked when the green fruit in 

 the orchards had been destroyed by them. I often observed 

 them in large flights, consuming the seeds of CJiciioj^odium 

 urhicum, an introduced weed, which grows to the height of 

 4ft. and 5ft., and spreads rapidly. They vigorously attacked 

 the seeds of the various species of Sonchus, or sow-thistles ; 

 the dock {Biimex obtusifolius), which grows in large masses 

 on the bottom of sluggish watercourses ; the Yorkshire fog 

 {Holcus mollis) ; and many other injurious plants. 



The present year has been an unprecedentedly cold and 

 wet one on the west coast, the result of which will be worth 

 noting, as bearing on the economy of the parrakeets and other 

 species. 



Eudynaniis taitensis (Long-tailed Cuckoo). 

 Chrysococcyx liicidus (Shining Cuckoo). 



Both species of migratory cuckoos ; they visit the bush in 



