THE BLACK WOOD HEN 187 



The North Island Wood Hen. — Weka. 



Ocijdromus earli. 



Above brownish rufous, streaked with brownish black. Below gi'ey, 

 the breast tinged with rufous. Quills banded with black and rufous. 

 Tail without mark. Eye reddish brown. Length of the wing, 2.75 in.; 

 of the tarsus, 2.4 in. The female is smaller than the male. Egg — 

 Pinkish white, with reddish and violet spots sparingly distributed 

 over the surface; length, 2.4 in. North Island and Stewart Island. 



The Black Wood Hen. 



Ocydromus hracliypterus. 



Black, each feather margined with reddish brown. Throat, sides of 

 the face, and abdomen dark grey. Quills sparingly marked with rufous 

 on the inner webs only. Eye reddish brown. Tail without mark. 

 Length of the wing, 7 in.; of the tarsus, 2.2 in. The female is smaller 

 than the male. West Coast Sounds of the South Island. 



]Mr. Reisehek specially observed the black wood hens during his 

 visit to the West Coast Sounds in 1884. He saw them mostly at 

 dusk, roaming about stony river beds, seeking food. The 

 numerous dead trees that are swept down along the banks by 

 floods afforded them hiding places. He also saw them on the sea 

 shore, picking mussels and crabs, and on the mountains, as high 

 as 2000 feet above sea level, but there they were scarce. During 

 the day they concealed themselves under roots and in hollow trees, 

 their hiding places having generally two or three entrances, so 

 that, in case of disturbance, they could easily escape. He was 

 amused once at seeing a dog digging vigilantly at a burrow, 

 while the wood hen was quietly stealing away. On the dog 

 pursuing her, she dodged him in the coolest manner for nearly a 

 quarter-of-an-hour, by going under trees, and always taking care 

 to keep on the opposite side from that on which he was. But, on 

 Mr. Reisehek going to the dog's assistance, she gave a shrill 

 whistle, and ran swiftly away. 



Wlien undisturbed, he says, these birds are very bold and tame. 

 At Dusky Sound, a shining black wood hen went every morning 

 and evening to his camp in the gorge, uttering a shrill whistle of 

 one note, and, on his throwing her a piece of biscuit, she would 

 pick it up, throw it on the ground till it broke, and then eat it. 



