342 Mr. J. Haast on the Ground-Parrot of New Zealand. 



the mouth of this river near the Wanaka Lake, as lower down 

 there are no forests. The Kakapo is very frequent in the 

 valley of the last-named river and in the Makavora forest, 

 though many woodcutters are constantly employed there. When 

 we camped on the outskirts of this forest, we heard its call 

 continually ; but none of the woodcutters seemed to be aware 

 that a bird of such large size was near them, though its unusual 

 piercing call had aroused their attention. In the Wilkin valley 

 (where I found traces of wild dogs) the Kakapo is less often 

 found ; and in the Hunter valley, containing large beech-forests, 

 and divided off by a not very high chain of mountains, it is not 

 to be met with at all. 



It is not my intention to give a minute description of the 

 Kakapo ; but I will only observe that kind nature has given to 

 this helpless animal, for its own preservation, a plumage so like 

 moss in outward appearance that it is difficult to distinguish one 

 from the other at even a short distance. The black hairy 

 feathers on each side of the beak give it a somewhat wild 

 appearance ; and the curious radiating wreaths of feathers round 

 the eyes make it look like an Owl ; but the large Parrot-like 

 beak and the two reversed toes determine at once the affinities 

 of the bird. Until now it has been supposed that the Kakapo 

 was a night-bird, but my own observations have convinced me 

 that this is not exclusively the case. It is true, however, that 

 its call is mostly heard about an hour after sunset, at which 

 time it commences to roam about, where the thick foliage 

 creates a kind of artificial darkness. Upon one occasion, about 

 the time just mentioned, a Kakapo came up close to our tent, 

 attracted, no doubt, by the light, and was caught by my dog ; 

 but on two other occasions I saw this bird feeding in the day- 

 time, and apparently very careful to avoid any coming danger. 

 The first time I saw a Kakapo by daylight was on my return 

 from the west coast. It was afternoon, and the sky rather 

 cloudy. The bird was sitting on a stump in an open part of 

 the forest, not far from Haast River. On my approach it 

 disappeared quickly, but was nevertheless caught by my dog. 

 The second time I saw the bird in daytime was in a mountain- 

 pass, where it (a large specimen) was sitting on a Fuchsia-tree* 



