56 APPENDIX: NO. XLII. . 
discovered, in the absence of the characteristic internal structure 
called the marsupium. They are apparently not affected by the 
light, for there is none of the winking and blinking which is so 
peculiar to the expressive eyes of Owls, though its cause may be 
questioned. I have only once or twice observed a single pass of the 
nictitating membrane, and that was by no means rapidly conducted, 
the colour of this membrane appeared to me to be bluish-white. 
Sometimes the eyes gradually close from sleepiness, the lower eyelid 
advancing nearly over the whole eye. In the sitting position which 
I have been describing, the bird will remain for a long time, and he 
is often seen in it when the box is opened. 
Sometimes again he is found with his legs perpendicularly under 
him, in this respect standing as the Storks and some other birds 
often do. The feathers of the rounded body do not reach down 
below the end of the fleshy part of the leg, the head is very little 
advanced from the body, and the beak rests nearly perpendicularly, 
with its point upon the ground, so that the figure of the bird is 
something that of a globe upon a tripod. From this position he 
often seems inclined to bend his legs under him, so as to attain his 
former one, but on other occasions he remains standing for a long 
time motionless, and then an opportunity is afforded of ascertaining 
the rate of breathing, for there is a slight movement observable in 
the feathers of the underside of the body; several times I have 
counted about twenty-three respirations in a minute. Here also, as 
before, the beak seems for the most part to drop gradually into its 
place, and not to be deliberately put into it to form a support. 
From this figure it is very curious to see the sudden change which 
is produced when the bird is irritated. He then lengthens himself 
out, straightening his back and neck, and standing nearly upright. 
There is generally a slight bend forward of the lower part of the 
neck, which, with the feathers upon it, does not seem much narrower 
than the part of the body which immediately succeeds it. A little 
lower down there is a lateral enlargement from the rudiments of 
wings pushing out the feathers, and in front there is a degree of 
forward curve, but how triflmg when compared with that which 
appertains to hirds whose breast-bones have a keel supporting a mass 
of muscles! Proceeding downwards, the belly, so much longer tian 
that of other birds, seems to retire somewhat until we come to the 
thick fleshy legs, which, supplied with their own feathers, are not 
overlapped by those of the body, but show their whole contour, even 
standing out so as to allow to be seen above them the interval which 
exists between the true thigh and the belly. The pale colour and 
the finer clothing of the middle space of the underside of the body, 
give it very much the appearance of that of a mammal; the size of 
the lower extremities and the general shape reminding one of a 
Kangaroo perhaps more than of a Penguin, which has a figure far 
more thick and compact than the Kiwi-kiwi has. The beak is sloped — 
down considerably, so as to become nearly parallel to the neck. I 
have fancied that in this condition there is more of the white of the 
