76 THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



Disposition and General Habits. — Being nocturnal, 

 these birds seem stupid by day. They are, how- 

 ever, tameable. They fight with each other, and 

 with a captor, striking with their sharp claws. 

 The females are fiercest. They can see but little, 

 even at night, but have an acute sense of smell. 



Economic Qualities. — The flesh is edible, and the 

 feeding habits are likely to be of economic use in 

 the destruction of vermin. 



Captivity. — They do well in captivity, feeding on 

 minced meat or, indeed, almost any soft food. 

 They have laid eggs in confinement, but not 

 hatched them. 



Distribution and Species. — New Zealand, where four 

 species are found : the Roas (Apteryx mantelli, 

 A. australis), with brown plumage, with lighter 

 longitudinal streaks, and the Kiwis proper (A. 

 oweni, A. haarsi), with barred grey plumage, 

 coloured much like that of a " Plymouth Rock " 

 fowl. 



LiMPKiNS {Aramidcr). 



Diagnosis. — Large rail-like birds, with the first quill 

 having a peculiarly narrowed inner web, and bill 

 slightly curved to one side at the tip. 



Size. — About that of a large fowl. 



Form. — Bill long, with the nostrils central ; jeet with 

 long shanks ; front toes long, with no webs at the 

 base, hind-toe rather short ; wings of moderate 

 size ; tail short. Neck and thighs long. 



Plumage, etc. — General colour brown, with bronzy 

 white streaks ; no sex-difference or seasonal change. 



Young. — Downy and active, the down black in colour. 



Nest. — Open, made of rushes, etc. 



