112 Transact iom. — Zoaloijy. 



Akt. XV. — Takahe versus Kakapo. 



I'.y James Park, F.G.S., Lecturer, Thames School of Mines. 



[Read before the Auc'ldand Institute, 4th August, 1890.] 



During various explorations among the mountains and sounds 

 of Otago in the years 1881 and 1888 I collected what I 

 considered evidences of the existence of the takahe (NQtornis 

 mcmtelli) at Dusky Sound and the Upper Matukituld Valley, 

 and in a paper which I read before the Wellington Philoso- 

 phical Society" in Octoher, 1888, I narrated the circum- 

 stances which led me to that conclusion. 



Mr. E. Melland, in a paper read before the Otago In- 

 stitute! in August, 1889, dissents from my conclusion, and 

 states in the most positive manner that the mysterious note, 

 vrhich I ascribed to the takahe, was not caused by that bird, 

 but by the male kakapo during the breeding-season. While 

 willing to admit that I may be wrong in my identification, I 

 must state a.t once that I am not satisfied with Mr. Melland's 

 tlieory, which is not supported by the experiences of explorers 

 or naturalists v>ho have had ample opportunities of becoming 

 familiar with the habits of New Zeala/od's " owl-parrot." 



Without stopping to discuss the manifestly unfair and 

 unusual tone of Mr. Melland's paper, v;hich is probably due 

 to inexperience in scientific discussion, I will briefly narrate, 

 for the better understanding of my paper, the circumstances 

 wliich led to my original article on the Notornis. 



During the summer of 1880-81 I was engaged under Mr. 

 .\. McKay, F.G.S., Assistant Geologist, who v.-as making 

 a geological exploration of the Wanaka country. Mr. John 

 Buchanan, F.L.S., also accompanied the party as botanist. 

 On the 20th January, 1881, we proceeded up the south branch 

 of the Matukititki Eiver, and camped at Cascade Creek, behind 

 Mount Aspiring. That evening we were startled by the loud 

 booming note of a strange bird, uttered at sliort intervals 

 throughout the greater part of the night. Next evening a 

 decoy-fire was lit in the bush near the camp to attract the 

 i)ivd, in the hope of being able to effect its capture; but in this 

 we were unsuccessful, although on several occasions it ap- 

 proached quite close to the fire" We learnt, however, that it 

 was of a curious nature, like many of our New Zealand birds ; 

 that its height was certainly less than 20in., judging from the 

 free manner in which it moved below the dense matted scrub; 

 and that its note was so deep and intense as to make tlia 



• Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xxi., p. 226. 

 t Tron«. N.Z. Inst., vol. xxii.. p. 29-5. 



