158 MUTTON BIRDS 



Nor does the Weka confine himself to the 

 young of either breed. In the protracted 

 twilight of the southern summer, often have 

 I watched our camp Wekas hunting a grown 

 rat through tussock and tangle fern; and I 

 believe it is a fact, that in parts where the 

 Weka is plentiful camps are kept more free 

 of vermin by this bird than by cats or dogs. 

 The curious little bundle often found in the 

 wilds — fur inside and skin outside — is the last 

 stage of a rat taken by a Weka. As a dog acts- 

 when wrenching meat from a bone, the Weka 

 places his foot on his prey and finally skins the 

 corpse as a footballer 'skins' his jersied mate. 



On the other hand during photography of tree 

 birds or when watching them at a distance, delay 

 was always made endurable and often delightful 

 by the Weka. On to his head, from above, 

 whilst watching from a tree, I have dropped 

 sponge cake, and seen him eat it unamazed, and 

 as if sponge cake came down from heaven like 

 rain. I have had him bathing within a yard of 

 me in a peat pool, ducking and drying himself 

 precisely as do his relatives, the Banded Rail and 

 the Pukeko. I have watched him courting the hen 

 almost among the spread camera legs, arching 

 his neck, raising himself as high as possible and 

 leaning forward with a ludicrously mysterious 

 air as much as to say, "Wait and see what I am 

 going to do to you." I have seen him working 

 the ground for a Pipit's nest, almost as a setter 

 works turnips, the anxious owners meanwhile 

 hanging about, their very solicitude, possibly 

 enlightening and stimulating the searcher; for 

 the Welva is one of the wisest of birds. 



On another occasion I have seen him hunting 



