254 THE ANIMALS OF NEW ZEALAND 



opportunity to meet the parkinsoni at close quarters. It was 

 when I went up to the top of the Herikohu mountain with the 

 members of INIr. Shakespear's family. The mountain rises to a 

 pinnacle peak 2100 feet above the sea. In the soft loose soil on the 

 top of the peak, a member of the party found a parkinsoni 's 

 nest. It was a small chamber at the end of a burrow about two 

 feet six inches long. A few^ leaves had been taken into the nest 

 and placed on the floor. Apart from that, absolutely no attempt 



(Cat. Brit. il/HS.) 



Black Petrel. 



had been made to create any home comforts for the young. A 

 female bird was sitting on the nest. There is a strict rule on the- 

 island that no native birds shall be disturbed or interfered with 

 in any way, but this w^as relaxed to allow me to handle the 

 parkinsoni, which I w^as very pleased to do. The bird strongly 

 objected to being touched, and fought furiously with claws, wings, 

 and beak, trying to snap at the fingers that held it. Its plumage 

 was glossy, satiny black ; its eyes were large, black, lustrous, and 

 piercing; and it had jet black legs and feet. It was, in fact,, 

 entirely black, from the top of its head to the tip of its tail,. 



