90 



THE ANIM/ALS OF NEW ZEALAND 



no other oeciipation. Regularly once or twice a year he went to 

 the inland forests from the East Coast to obtain the precious 

 birds, and supply tail feathers to the principal chiefs in Hawke's 

 Bay, his superiors in rank. The ]\Iaoris have been known to keep 

 the huias in captivity, placing them in a large light cage of 

 network. They were fed with soft vegetable food, and, when 

 they arrived at maturity, their tail feathers were plucked. A 

 complete apparatus, consisting of a long rod, a string, and a 



Nest of the Huia. 



running knot, was used for bird-snaring operations. The female 

 huia was generally taken first, the male being more easily snared 

 after its mate had been captured. 



These birds are quiet, amiable, sociable, affectionate to each 

 other, and very tame; and they seem to thrive well in captivity. 

 As the male and female are generally found together, it is 

 concluded that they are monogamous. They can adapt them- 

 selves to animal or vegetable food, and, in obtaining supplies, 

 they are mutually helpful. 



Mr. Colenso once received from a settler the head of a female 

 huia with a remarkably formed bill. It looked like a large cork- 

 screw, having a spiral of two large and equal curves. It is 

 thought that the bird was hatched with this peculiarity, which 

 made the bill worse than useless, as it was an obstacle to eating, 

 and kept the mouth alwaj^s open. The bird was an old one. The 

 fact that it lived in spite of its deformity is explained by the 



