340 THE ANIMALS OF NEW ZEALAND 



years ago an old native, who had been a kiwi hunter in the times 

 when kiwis were plentiful, told me a strange tale about the 

 manner in which the kiwi hatches its eggs. I, of course, cannot 

 vouch for the correctness of the story, but think it worth relating. 

 He said that the kiwi did not sit, like other birds, upon the egg, 

 but under it, first burying the egg in the ground to a considerable 

 depth, and then digging a cave or nest under it by which about 

 one-third of the lower end was exposed, and so lying under the 

 egg and in contact with the lower end, which came, as it were, 

 through the roof of the nest or burrow. The appearance of the 

 egg, which I propose to send, corro])orated the statement, for 

 two-thirds of its length, the small end, was perfectly clean and 

 white, and about one-third, the large end, was very much 

 discoloured and very greasy, evidently from contact with the 

 body of the bird. The difference in colour and condition of the 

 ends of the egg was quite remarkable, and well defined by a 

 circular line passing round the egg. ' ' 



Mr. A. D. Bartlett, Superintendent of the Zoological Society's 

 Gardens in London, endeavoured to put these statements to a test 

 by means of two kiwis. They showed a desire to pair by the loud 

 calling of the male, which was answered by the female in a much 

 lower and shorter note. They were particularly noisy at night, 

 but were ciuite silent in the day time. The female laid two or 

 three eggs, but as soon as she ciuitted the nest, the male bird took 

 to it, and remained constantly sitting. By-and-by, the birds 

 occupied the two opposite comers of the room in which they were 

 kept, the male being on the two eggs in the nest under the straw, 

 while the female was concealed in her corner, also under a bundle 

 of straw placed against the wall. 



During the time of incubation they ceased to call at night ; 

 they were perfectly silent, and remained apart. The egg's were 

 found in a hollow formed on the ground in the earth and straw, 

 and placed lengthwise side by side. The male bird lay across 

 them, his narrow body appearing not sufficiently broad to cover 

 them in any other way. The ends of the eggs could be seen 

 projecting from the side of the bird. He continued to sit in 

 the most persevering manner until he was exhausted, and he then 



