SCANSORES. 37 



rough vine-clad boles of the trees^ freely using their powerful man- 

 dibles, and assuming every variety of attitude, or diligently tearing 

 open the dead roots of the close epiphytic vegetation in their eager 

 search for insects and their larvae. In the spring and summer, when 

 the woods are full of wild blossom, these birds have a prodigality of 

 food, and may be seen alternately filling their crops with a variety of 

 juicy berries, or sucking nectar from the crimson flowers of the rata 

 {Metrosideros i^obusta — a flowering branch of which is depicted in the 

 plate) by means of their brush-fringed tongues. 



" With the earliest streaks of dawn, and while the underwoods 

 are still wrapped in darkness, the wild cry of this bird breaks upon 

 the ear with a strange effect. It is the sound that wakes the weary 

 traveller encamped in the bush ; and the announcement of his ever- 

 active Maori attendant, ' Kua tangi te Kaka,^ is an intimation that it 

 is time to be astir. But, although habitually recluse during the day, 

 it is not always so. During gloomy weather it is often very active ; 

 and sometimes even in the bright sunshine a score of them may be 

 seen together, flying and circling about, high above the tree-tops, 

 uttering their loud screams and apparently bent on convivial amuse- 

 ment. When the shades of evening bring a deejDer gloom into the 

 depths of the forest, and all sounds are hushed, save the low hoot of 

 the waking Morepork, or the occasional ' cheep-cheeji ' of the startled 

 Robin, the Kaka becomes more animated. It may then be heard 

 calling to its fellows in a harsh rasping note, something like the 

 syllables ' t-chrut, t-chrut/ or indulging in a clear musical whistle 

 with a short refrain. 



" It is strictly arboreal in its habits, and subsists to a large extent 

 on insects and their larvse, so that it is probably one of our most 

 useful species. Where they exist in large numbers they must act 

 very beneflcially on the timber-forests ; for in the domain of Nature 

 important results are often produced by apparently trivial agencies. 

 Like all the honey-eaters, while supplying their own wants they do 

 good service with their brush-tongues, by fertilizing the blossoms of 

 various trees, and thus assisting in their propagation ; while, on the 

 other hand, the diligent search they prosecute for insects and grubs, 

 and the countless numbers daily consumed by each individual, must 

 materially affect the economy of the native woods." — Buller. 



48. Nestor occidentalis. Buller. 



Brown, with a grey forehead ; rest of the colours like the last ; cere, very small ; 

 fourth quill the longest. 



L., 16-5 ; W., 10-5 ; B., 165 ; T., 1-1. 

 JIah. — West Coast of the South Island. 



