138 THE ANIMALS OF NEW ZEALAND 



along a good-sized bough, and, turning towards its pursuer, will 

 make a curious, defiant, crowing sound. It is noiseless in its 

 flight, and this, no doubt, is the main reason for the success the 

 female achieves in getting her eggs into the nests of other birds." 



Order Psittaci. 

 Bill strong, hooked, the base covered with skin. Legs short, 

 the feet with two toes in front and two behind. 



Key to the Families. 



1. Lower mandible nearly straight. Nestoridse. 

 Lower mandible much hooked. 2 



2. Tail long. Psittacidse. 

 Tail short. Stringopidas. 



Family Nestoridae. 

 Bill longer than deep. Tong-ue fringed near the tip. Shafts 

 of the tail feathers projecting. New Zealand only. 



Genus Nestor. 

 Hook of the bill nearly smooth below, the upper margin 

 grooved. Wings long, rather pointed. Tail moderate, squared 

 at the end. New Zealand and Phillip Island. 



Key to the Species. 



Top of the head grey. N. meridioualis. 



Top of the head green, like the back. N. notabilis. 



The Kaka. 



Nestor meridionalis. 

 Olive-brown. Top of the head grey; abdomen and over the tail 

 purplish red. At the back of the neck a ring of yellowish red. Inner 

 webs of the primaries banded with red. Eye dark brown. Length of 

 the wing, 11 in.; of the tarsus, 1.2 in. The sexes are alike. The 

 young may be distinguished by the red feathers on the under surface 

 of the wing being barred with brown. Egg — White; length, 1.75 in. 

 Both Islands. 



The kaka is very playful, very sociable, and very noisy. The 

 top of its head is grey, but in this respect alone does it resemble 



