APPENDIX : NO: XLMf. S9 
ground, the femoro-tibial joint may be nearly on the same level, 
whilst the intermediate tarso-tibial forms an angle considerably above 
it. If there is plenty of cover he stops when he is quite concealed, 
but if the straw is scanty, he will work on even once round his box, 
or further. Should a bystander press down the straw before his 
beak, so as to defeat his purpose of plunging into that point, he 
manifests great determination in attempting it elsewhere. I have 
not been able to make out that he ever lies under his straw, unless 
he has been previously disturbed. 
One day he placed his beak on the door of the box which is Ict 
down upon the floor, tried it in different places, and stepped out 
upon it, using his beak in every direction, feeling the wainscoting 
even nearly as high as he could reach; but all this with a want of 
discrimination which agreed with the impression of a deficiency of 
intelligence previously derived from his whole conduct and appear- 
ance. He had advanced some little distance from bis box, with his 
body in the semi-erect position ; he gave one the idea of his being in a 
state of uncertainty as to where he was, but soon seemed to recollect 
himself; yet, instead of going in by the way he had come out, he 
ran towards the back wall, then, as soon as he reached it, turned 
suddenly and rushed under his curtain. On this, as on other similar 
occasions, he charged strenuously again and again, throwing himself 
against any one impeding his retreat to his den; and he never, in the 
presence of persons, shows any notion of escape from his confinement. 
He is not nervously timid, for he does not start at a sudden noise, 
though, as I shall have occasion to mention presently, he has excellent 
ears. It is evident that he can see by day, from his attacks upon 
anything brought near him; but he never looks about him, and 
this gives him a mopish appearance, very different from that of most 
birds. How opposite, for instance, to that of his neighbour, the 
Weka, whois always turning his head and directing his eyes, stooping 
down to peep under or standing on tip toe to look over an obstacle. 
The mode of life confirms Professor Owen’s deduction from the 
organization, that in the Apteryx the sense of smell is developed 
at the expense of that of sight ; and this is associated with many 
peculiarities of disposition and habits. 
He seems as irascible as when he first came over, several months 
ago; but it is fair to mention that his temper was spoiled on board 
ship, for his fellow-passengers are said to have been in the habit of 
teasing him. He does not at all know his keeper, which is not to be 
wondered at, considering that he feeds at night. Earthworms, and 
a considerable quantity of meat cut into pieces the size of dice, 
are placed in his stall every evening ; the latter in a corner, and the 
former in a flower-pot with a hole in the bottom, through which they 
crawl into the heap of soil which I formerly mentioned. Most of 
the meat has disappeared by the morning, and holes made by the 
beak of the bird all over the soil, show how busy he has been in 
hunting for worms. A track made all round his stall tells how much 
he paces near the outskirts of his territory. Ils digestion, from the 
