APPENDIX. 555 



effaced from the surface of our globe. The Philip Island 

 Parrot {Nestor prodiictus) is already gone ; and the Kaka 

 {Nestor liypopolius) must soon follow, but not so soon, pro- 

 ])ably, as the present bird. With what care, then, should 

 such relics be preserved in our museums ; to none but her- 

 metically sealed cases should they be consigned. Let it be 

 remembered how great are our regrets that the evidence of 

 the former existence of the Dodo comprises only a single foot 

 and head and a few dried bones. 



As I have nothing to add to the few remarks respecting 

 the history of the present bird accompanying my original 

 description in the ' Proceedings of the Zoological Society,' I 

 cannot do better than transcribe them here : — 



"TheAWo/ notaUlis, which is called '' KecV by the na- 

 tives differs, from its near allies N. hjpopolius and N. productus 

 in the greater uniformity of its colouring, in the yellow- 

 toothed markings of the inner webs of the primaries and 

 secondaries, and in the orange toothed markings of the inner 

 webs of the tail-feathers ; and in the yellow colouring of the 

 under mandible. 



" Mr. Mantell informed me that he first heard of the 

 existence of the Ked about eight years ago, from some old 

 natives whom he was questioning as to the birds of the Mid- 

 dle Island. They said the Ked somewhat resembled the Kdka 

 {Nestor hjpopolms), but that, unlike that bird, it was green ; 

 and added that it used formerly to come to the coast in severe 

 winters, but that they had not seen it lately. Mr. Mantell 

 only obtained two specimens of this fine bird : they were shot 

 in the Murihiku country ; and for one of them he was indebted 

 to Mr. John Lemon of Murihiku. 



" General hue oUve-green ; each feather tipped in a cres- 

 centic form with brown, and having a fine line of the same 

 colour down the shaft ; feathers of the lower part of the back 

 and the upper tail-coverts washed near the tip with fiery 

 orange-red; primaries brown, margined at the base with 



