206 Transactions. — Zoology. 



procure more of them before he went to Australia, but, the 

 provisions of the Wild Birds Protection Act having been ex- 

 tended to Kiwis in general, I wrote warning him to take no 

 more. There is a chance of this bird being preserved in 

 Stewart Island, which has happily escaped the introduction 

 of stoats and weasels, but on the mainland the protection 

 comes too late, both for the Kiwi and the Kakapo. 



In the same hole with the very large example forwarded to 

 me there was a nestling, apparently only a few days old, from 

 which I have been enabled to furnish a description of the 

 species in that stage. 



Young. — Head, throat, and under-parts generally greyish- 

 brown, the disunited filaments of the feathers imparting a 

 hairy-like appearance to the plumage ; on the hind-neck these 

 filaments assume a more arrow-head appearance, the plumage 

 being at the same time very fluffy ; upper-surface generally 

 tawny-brown, with yellowish-brown shaft-lines, the latter being 

 a distinctive feature ; bill and feet pale-brown. 



The adult, as already stated, resembles very nearly in its 

 plumage Apteryx mantelli of the North Island ; but the yoving 

 is very different to that of the latter species, being far more 

 like that of Apteryx australis. 



Half-groion bird (probably a year or eighteen months old). 

 — Plumage similar to that of adult, but with more chestnut- 

 colour in it ; feathers covering flanks with shining amber- 

 coloured shafts ; bill, Sin. 



Towards the end of November Mr. Markluud obtained two 

 eggs of this species of Kiwi, after nearly a month's continuous 

 search ; but it was so late in the season that, in both cases, 

 the chick was fully formed within the shell, and had to be 

 removed by incision. This somewhat damaged the specimens, 

 but I am nevertheless able to give a full description of them. 

 They differ conspicuously both in size and in contour. The 

 larger one measures 5-4in. in length by 3-25in. in breadth, 

 and is perfectly elliptical in shape, there not being the least 

 indication of . a smaller end. The other egg is smaller, 

 measuring 5-lin. by 3'lin., and is narrower at one end. 

 Both of them are of a very pale green colour, or perhaps, 

 more properly speaking, greenish-white, and the shell, espe- 

 cially in the smaller egg, exhibited minute, widely-scattered 

 punctaj on the surface, distinctly visible under a magnifying 

 glass, and similar to the markings on the eggshell of the Moa. 

 In forwarding the specimens, my collector says: "I had a 

 very hard job in procuring these eggs, as the birds do not go 

 far away from their nests while hatching, and of course the 

 dog got a very poor chance of picking up the scent. One of 

 the eggs was somewhat damaged, through the bird defending 

 it from the dog, before I could reach the place ; nevertheless 



