THE KIWIS 



{apterygid^) 



rpHE four species of Apteryx — called "Ki-wis" 

 -*- by the Maoris, and a name by which they are 

 now more familiarly known — must be ranked with 

 some of the most curious and interesting of 

 existing avine forms. They are birds of very local 

 distribution, being confined to New Zealand ; and, 

 being flightless, are not only becoming rare, but are 

 doubtless doomed to early extinction. This seems 

 inevitable in islands where the indigenous fauna 

 has suffered so severely since their occupation 

 by civilised man. These wonderful islands seem 

 almost like one of Nature's storehouses, where have 

 been preserved the relics of bygone ages, and 

 where all these beautiful and curious creatures 

 would have been living their harmless lives in 

 peace down to the present day, had man not 

 colonised them, or even introduced so many exotic 

 species with such disastrous results. Tlie Kiwis 



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