34 NEW ZEALAND BIRDS. 



daut all over tlic North and South Islands ; hut at the present day 

 its range is confined to circurascrihed limits, which are hecoming 

 narrower every year." — Bullek. 



" During the day it remains hidden in holes under the roots of trees 

 or roeks, or very rarely perehed on the houghs of trees with a very 

 dense thiek foliage. At these times it appears stupid from its pro- 

 found sleep, and, if disturhed or taken from its hole, immediately 

 runs and tries to hide itself again, delighting, if practicable, to cover 

 itself in a heap of soft dry grass. About sunset it becomes lively, 

 animated, and playful, issues forth from its retreat, and feeds on grass, 

 weeds, vegetables, fruit, .seeds, and roots. When eating grass it 

 grazes rather than feeds, nibbling the grass in the manner of a rabbit 

 or wombat. It sometimes climbs trees, but generally remains upon 

 the ground, and only uses its short wings for the purpose of aiding 

 its progress when running, balancing itself when on a tree, or in 

 making a short descent, half-jump half-flight, from an upper to a 

 lower bough. When feeding, if pleased with its food, it makes a con- 

 tinued grunting noise. It is a greedy bird, and choice in its food, 

 showing an evident relish for anything of which it is fond." — Sir 

 G. Grey. 



Plattcercus. Vigors. 



Bill, moderate ; second and third quills the longest, outer ■webs of second, third, and 

 fourth quills suddenly dilated near the base ; tail long ; tarsi shorter thau middle toe. 

 Australia, New Guinea, Polynesia. 



43. Platycorcus novse-zealandisB. Sparrm. 



Eed-peo^'ted Paerakeet. Kakariki. 

 (Plate XV.) 

 Bripht-grecn, witli blue on the wings ; forehead and top of the head, crimson. 

 L., 11 ; W., G ; B., G ; T., -87. 

 Efjij. — White; oval ; length, I'l ; breadth, '8. 



Eah. — Both Islands ; Chatham Islands, New Caledonia, Auckland Islands, Norfolk 

 Island, Macquarie Island. 



" The Red-fronted Parrakeet is very generally dispersed over the 

 whole country, but is more plentiful in the southern portion of the 

 North Island than in the far north, where the yellow-fronted species 

 predominates. It frequents every part of the bush, but appears to 

 prefer the outskirts, where the vegetation is low and shrubby, as also 

 the wooded margins of creeks and rivers. It is often met with among 

 the dense koromiko {Veronica) which covers the low river-flats, or 

 among the brushes of Leptosperimnii and other scrub. It seldom 

 ventures beyond the shelter of the woods, unless it be to visit the 

 farmer's fields for its tithe of grain, or to reach some distant feeding- 

 place, when it rises rather high in the air and flies rapidly, but in 



