Vol. IV, 

 1904 



J Bird Sanctuaries of New Zealand. 6 I 



him very carefully, and, if one of the pair come to the house 

 for scraps for its mate, it always takes a roundabout track to 

 the nest, and is careful to see that it is neither watched nor 

 followed. They kill each other's young, so that every pair on 

 the island has its own run, and no others are allowed to 

 intrude. Mr. Henry coiisiders these birds most valuable as 

 insect-destroyers in an orchard, and observes that, if they were 

 difficult to get, fruit-growers would be quite keen about them. 

 On the table-land above the Otira Gorge, when crossing from 

 the west coast, one often sees the Weka and her brood running 

 along the track in front of the. coach. When the first brood 

 have been hatched and are fairly grown, the hen hands them 

 over to her mate, and starts to lay again. The male shepherds 

 the young persistently, apparently gives them all the food he 

 can find, and, if they call for help in danger, he is with them 

 in an instant, keen for a fight. When he finds a rat he tackles 

 it instantly, though not strong enough to kill it single-handed. 

 The squeaking of the rat is a signal to another Weka, who rushes 

 up and helps to kill the enemy. 



It is surmised that the Kakapo, or Great Ground-Parrot^ 

 the only Parrot which does not fly — had once the use of its wings. 

 Finding in New Zealand no ground enemies and abundance of 

 food and cover, it ceased to use its wings, which only subjected 

 it to the risk of being taken by a Hawk, and as the wings de- 

 generated from disuse, the legs developed in the same proportion, 

 so that now it is a good runner. Tree Parrots in Australia are 

 awkward on the ground, but the seed-eating Grass Parrots all 

 run quickly. In addition to the islands, which are so convenient 

 a sanctuary, the Government has two preserves for Kakapos 

 on the mainland. They ' are night-feeders, though fruit- 

 eaters — an unusual combination, as Mr. Henry points out. 

 Like the Owls, they have a disc of prominent feathers about 

 the eyes, and near the nose those long hair-like feathers or 

 feelers common to nocturnal birds or those which have their 

 home underground. They are so feeble, so unconscious of 

 having enemies, that one may go up to them without their 

 showing any alarm. If touched they are resentful, but if you 

 sit down beside the bird a little while in daylight it tucks its 

 head calmly under its wing and goes off to sleep again. 

 Unlike the Weka, the Kakapo hides her nest away carefully 

 from her own mate, who is generally both fat and indolent. 

 These birds only breed every second year, and the curious 

 point about them is that all the birds lay in the same 

 season — a peculiarity which naturalists are quite unable to 

 understand. Their call at night is very much like the booming 

 of a Bittern in the swamps, and the night-drumming is only 

 heard just before the nesting time. In the following year they 

 are silent. The birds are always plentiful where wild berries 

 grow thickly, and New Zealanders speak of such spots as 

 " Kakapo gardens." The young, when first hatched, are 



