504 Trcnisactiojis. 



(A. mantelli) from New Plymouth, and also kakapos (Stringops 

 habroptilus), but nothing has been seen of them, although they 

 may be getting on very well. 



Large numbers of kiwis could be liberated on the island 

 with advantage. Some of these birds might be sent from the 

 south in the " Hinemoa," which could make a special trip for 

 the purpose ; and wekas and other native birds might also be 

 placed on the sanctuary. 



Several introduced English birds are on the island. Amongst 

 these are the house-sparrow, the thrush, the blackbird, and 

 the starling. They do no harm to the native birds, and the 

 English birds and the native birds do not associate. 



Of other animal life, insects are exceedingly plentiful ; 

 among them are four species of wetas, notably the large black 

 one. A tuatara lizard (Sphenodon punctatus), nearly 2 ft. long, 

 was caught near the landing-place, but was liberated again. 

 It is supposed that other tuataras exist on the island, but this 

 is the only one that has been seen by the present residents. 

 There is at least one large colony of bats. It is thought that 

 they belong to the short-tailed species (Mystacops tuberculatus), 

 which was supposed to be on the verge of extinction. I was 

 taken to the tree in Kauri Gully where the bat-colony exists, 

 but no bats were seen. The Maori rat (Mus exidans) is very 

 plentiful. There is a rare black lizard, which lives amongst the 

 boulders near the shore. A gigantic earthworm (Diporochceta 

 gigantea) is found on the hills in the bush. One specimen mea- 

 sured 4 ft. 6 in. long. It is one of the largest earthworms in the 

 world. The waters teem with fish of different species. 



The birds, on the whole, thrive exceedingly well on the 

 sanctuary. Many of them are increasing fairly rapidly in 

 numbers, and there is no evidence to show that any of the 

 species represented will become extinct. The Norway rat, the 

 pig, and the English bee are entirely absent, and cats are very 

 rare. A theory has been put forth that the English honey-bee 

 takes possession of the forests and drives honey-eating birds, 

 like the bell-bird and the tui, away from the flowers and starves 

 them out. Bees will take their share of the honey from the 

 forest flowers, but it is hardly likely that they do so to such an 

 extent as to affect the numbers of the birds. As far as any 

 evidence brought forward goes, I think the bees should be 

 acquitted, and all the blame for the birds' banishment from 

 large tracts of country should be placed upon cats and rats, 

 and bush fires, and on the advance of civilisation generally. 



The climate of the island is very mild ; there has been only 

 one frost in the past ten years. In all respects it is an ideal 

 place for a bird-sanctuary. It is well wooded; there is no 



