SCANSORES. 



33 



OEDER III. 



SCANSORES : 



CLIMBERS. 



Toes, two in frout, and two behind. 



PSITTACID^. 



Eill, strong, hooked ; base covered by a cere. 



Pakkots. 



Steingops. Gray. 



Bill, rather short; base covered by feathers, the shaft of each prolonged into a hair; 

 lower mandible grooved longitudinally; fifth quill tlie longest; tail, rounded, the end of 

 each feather pointed ; tarsi, short and strong. 



New Zealand and Chatham Islands. 



42. Stringops habroptilus. Gray. 



Ground Parrot. Kakapo, 



(Plate XIV.) 



Above, green, varied with brown ; below, yellow-green, varied with brown and yellow- 

 white. 



L., 25; W., II; B, 15; T., 1-75. 



Very variable in size. 



^^^.— White; length, 1-9 ; breadth, 1-4. 



Sah. — Both Islands, and Chatham Islands. 



Note. — Stringops greyi (Gray) is a mere variety. 



" This is one of the very remarkable forms peculiar to New Zea- 

 land, and has been appropriately termed an Owl-Parrot. As its 

 name Stringops indicates, its face bears a resemblance to that of an 

 Owl ; and our knowledge of the structure and habits of the bird would 

 seem to prove that it supplies in the grand scheme of Nature the 

 connecting link between Owls and Parrots. In all the essential 

 characteristics of structure it is a true Parrot ; but in the possession 

 of a facial disc (in which respect it differs from all other known 

 Parrots), in the soft texture of its plumage, and especially in its 

 decidedly nocturnal habits, it betrays strong affinities to the Owl 

 tribe 



"According to Native tradition, the Kakapo was formerly abun- 

 3 



