KAKA—KAKAPO 473 
The internal and external structure of both these remarkable 
forms, Lhinochetus and Hurypyga, has been treated in much detail by 
Parker in the Zoological Proceedings (1864, pp. 70-72) and Transac- 
tions (vi. pp. 501-521, pls. 91, 92; x. pp. 307-310, pl. 54, figs. 
7-9), as also by Dr. Murie in the latter work (vil. pp. 465-492, pls. 
56, 57), and the result of their researches shews that though 
separable as distinct Families, Lurypygide and Ihinochetide, they 
belong to Prof. Huxley’s GERANOMORPHA, of which they must be 
deemed the relics of very ancient and generalized types. Their 
inter-relations to the Fallidw (RAIL), Psophiide (TRUMPETER), and 
other groups need not to be here considered ; but it may be remarked 
that the eggs of both Hurypyga and Rhinochetus have a very strong 
Ralline appearance—stronger even than the figures published (Proc. 
Zool. Soc. 1868, pl. xii.) would indicate. 
KAKA, see NESTOR. 
KAKAPO, the Maori name, signifying “ Night-Parrot,” and 
frequently adopted by English writers, of a bird, commonly called 
by British colonists in New Zealand the “Ground-Parrot” or ‘‘ Owl- 
Parrot.” The existence of this singular form was first made known 
in 1843 by Dieffenbach (Travels in N. Zealand, ii. p. 194), from 
some of its tail-feathers obtained by him in the interior of that 
country, and he suggested that it was one of the Cuculidx, possibly 
belonging to the genus Centropus, adding that it was becoming 
scarce, and that no example had been seen for many years. The 
late Mr. G. R. Gray, noticing it in June 1845 (Zool. Voy. ‘ Erebus’ 
and ‘ Terror, part ix. p. 9), was able to say little more of it; but 
very soon after a skin was received at the British Museum, of 
which, in the following September, he published a figure (Gen. 
Birds, part xvii.), naming it Strigops} habroptilus, and rightly placing 
it among the Parrots, though he did not describe it technically for 
another eighteen months (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1847, p. 61), by which 
time some further information concerning it had been furnished by 
Sir George Grey (Ann. Nat. Hist. xviii. p. 427) and Strange (Proc. 
Zool, Soc. 1847, p- 50); while in the same year Jules Verreaux sent 
an example, with an account of its habits, to the museum of Paris, 
which was published by Pucheran (Rev. Zool. 1847, p. 385). Various 
observers, among whom must be especially named Dr. Lyall (Proc. 
Zool. Soc. 1852, p. 31), who was the first to record the breeding 
habits and obtain the egg of the bird, and Von Haast (Verh. zool.-bot. 
Gesellsch. Wien, 1863, p. 1115) supplied other particulars, and so 
many specimens have been received in Europe that it is now repre- 
sented in most museums, and more than half a dozen examples have 
1 This generic term was subsequently altered by Van der Hoeven to 
Stringopsis, but Stringops is the spelling now generally adopted. 
