THE MUSEUM. 



selves by hunting together and in 

 flocks. Two or three of them will 

 light at a time on the back of a poor 

 beast and tear with their formidable 

 bills until they reach the fat surround- 

 ing the kindeys, destroying the poor 

 animal, the fat they seem so eager to 

 obtain. 



The Kea, as may be supposed, is 

 diminishing greatly in numbers every 

 year for the inhabitants of ihe island 

 carry on an incessant warfare against 

 them for the protection of their flocks 

 and it will riot likely be very long be- 

 fore the bird is finally exterminated. 



Mr. Ivnowlton, whom I before nam- 

 ed, is authority for the statement that 

 Salvadoric, who during last year mon- 

 ographed the group, states that there 

 are about five hundred species of Par- 

 rots, belonging to seventy-nine genera 

 at present known. Even though em- 

 bracing so many variaties and making 

 such an interesting and pleasing study, 

 the bird we name has attracted prob- 

 ably most attention from its very pe- 

 culiar habits as before explained. 



The other species of the Parrot fam- 

 ily you now see before you is called 

 the Kakapo or Night Parrot and is 

 said by Cassells to be considered the 

 type of a peculiar race. Its whole ap- 

 pearance would certainly lead one to 

 agree with so good an authority. Its 

 scientific name is Strigops — Owl-faced 

 — a name we can readily see is well 

 chosen. The structure of the foot is 

 entirely different to that of the Owl. 



You will notice that the body is 

 covered with fine, soft feathers and 

 has a kind of veil about the face — 

 wings short, tail long, rounded beak 

 bent like that of the Owl and partially 

 covered with bristles like feathers. 

 The general color is dark green. The 

 breed was confined to New Zealand. 

 It was at one time rather abundant in 

 the remote Alpine valleys of the south- 

 ern island. In the northern portion 

 none have been found for many years, 

 and the opinion is expressed that few, 

 if any, living ones are now anywhere 

 to be had. The dry cliffs and low 



grounds near the banks of wooded riv- 

 ers and high trees almost free from 

 ferns or bushes, are where they are 

 found, and when pursued will not 

 make use of their wings but run swift- 

 ly off to some hiding place. Its move- 

 ments resemble those of the barnyard 

 fowl. 



In Cassells', Lyall is mentioned as 

 seeing the bird in some hills four 

 thousand feet above the level of the 

 sea. He found it on open spots near 

 the river mouth not far from the coast. 

 At the time of his writing on the sub- 

 ject, another writer named Haast said 

 it was a most striking fact that the 

 Kakapo was never found east of the 

 mountains except in the valley of the 

 Makavora formed by Lake Wanaka. 

 These birds live in holes under the 

 roots of large trees and in cavities and 

 overhanging rocks. The first named 

 writer — Lyall — said he found tracks 

 about a foot wide and very regularly 

 worn into the ground, made by the 

 Kakapo, which he at first thought 

 were made by the natives. Such 

 tracks would be like our Indian trails 

 of years ago. 



The species is almost nocturnal in 

 its habits and thus in that respect 

 again resembles the Owl. Its cry is a 

 hoarse croak. The food consisted of 

 roots, leaves and delicate shoots of 

 plants, berries and moss; also buds of 

 leguminous plants. It was a great 

 eater of innutritions food which ac- 

 counts for its liking for living on the 

 ground. The eggs were laid toward 

 the end of February and never ex- 

 ceeded two in number to a nest usual- 

 ly only one. The bird only scratched 

 a shallow cavity in the dry moss or 

 decayed wood for its nest. The egg 

 is pure white and only about the size 

 of a pigeon's. The birds were easily 

 treed and would follow their captors 

 like a dog. 



J. Maughan, 



Toronto. 



