Paek. — TakaJic versus Kahapo. 117 



iug note. He said he had never heard the noise I described, 

 nor could he account for it. He was incHned to favour my 

 theory as to the takahe, and regretted that lie had no dog 

 with him to help to clear up the mystery. Now, here was a 

 naturalist of no common zeal, who had secluded himself for 

 the greater part of two years among the wilds and solitudes 

 of Dusky Sound, Chalky Inlet, and other equally inaccessible 

 portions of the West Coast, collecting native birds and study- 

 ing their habits in the open. He had made a special study of 

 the kakapo, both in its breeding-season and at other times, Ijut, 

 strangely enough, he never heard the startling booming note 

 ascribed to the male bird. Perhaps Mr. Melland would reply 

 that if Mr. Eeischek "had been at all well acquainted with 

 the habits of the kakapo he would at once have suspected " •• 

 the author of this uncommon call. 



Oddly enough, Mr. Melland does not attempt to refute my 

 theory by calling to his aid the writings of the momy authors 

 who have described in various ways the habits of our unique 

 owl-parrot, the kakapo. I will try and supply this omission. 

 The quotations which follow are copied from Sir Walter 

 Buller's new edition of the " Birds of New Zealand.'' 



Dr. Lyall, in his paper .read before the Zoological Society 

 of London in 1852, says, " The cry of the kakapo is a hoarse 

 croak, varied occasionally by a discordant shriek when irri- 

 tated or hungry. The Maoris say that during winter they 

 assemble together in large numbers in caves, and that at the 

 times of meeting, and again l)efore dispersing to their sunnner 

 haunts, the noise they make is perfectly deafening." 



Sir George Grey describes the kakapo as a greedy bird, 

 and says, " When feeding, if pleased with its food, it makes a 

 continued grunting noise." And, again, " It cries repeatedly 

 during the night with a noise not very unlike that of the 

 kaka {Nestor meridionalis), but not so loud." 



Mr. G. S. Sale, speaking of a captive kakapo which he pos- 

 sessed for some time, says, " I observe that it rarely ]nakes 

 iiny noise by day ; but about dusk it usually begins to screech, 

 its object being apparently to attract attention ; for, if let 

 loose from its cage and allowed to have its usual play, it 

 ceases to make any noise. It also makes a grunting noise 

 when eating, especially if pleased, and I have myself attracted 

 it to me by imitating the same sound. It also screeches 

 sometimes when handled-^not, apparently, from anger, but 

 more froni timidity." In a note he adds, '-The sound of the 

 bird is not a shrill scream, but a muffled screech, more like a 

 jningled grunt and screech." 



Among the early cxplorei-s of Otago perhaps none can 



* Loc. cit., \). '^)00. ■'" " — ' 



