218 



THE POE BIRD. 



While at liberty in its native land it is remarkal)le for its quick, restless activity, as 

 it flits rapidly about the branches, pecking here and there at a stray insect, diving into 

 the recesses of a newly opened Hower, and continually uttering its shrill sharp whistle. 

 Although one of the large group of Meliphagidaj or Honey-eaters, the Poe Bird feeds less 

 upon honey than upon insects, which it discovers with great sharpness of vision and 



catches in a particularly adroit 

 manner. It will also feed upon 

 worms, and sometimes varies its 

 diet by fruits. 



In New Zealand it is often 

 killed for the sake of its flesh, 

 which is said to be very delicate 

 and well flavoured, its beautiful 

 feathers and interesting character 

 affording no safeguard against 

 the voracity of hungry New 

 Zealanders ; although, to borrow 

 the expression of Dr. Bennett 

 when speaking of the nautilus, 

 such delinquency is enough to 

 put any scientific naturalist into 

 a fever. 



The general colour of the Poe 

 Bird is a very deep metallic green, 

 becoming black iii certain lights, 

 and having a decided bronze re- 

 flection in others. The back is 

 deep brown, also with a bronze 

 reflection, and upon the shoulders 

 there is a patch of pure white. 

 On the back of the neck the 

 feathers are long and lancet- 

 shaped, each feather having a 

 very narrow white streak along its 

 centre. From each side of the neck 

 depends a tuft of snowy curling 

 downy feathers, spreading in fan- 

 like fashion from their bases. 

 This creature is called the Parson 

 Bird because these white tufts 

 are thought to bear some resem- 

 blance to the absurd pai'allelo- 

 grams of white lawn that are 

 denominated " bands, ' and which 

 flutter beneath the chins of eccle- 

 siastics in their official costume. 

 The brown tint of the lower part 

 of the back changes to steely- 

 blue, and the taU is brown " shot " with the same beautiful tint. The quill-feathers 

 of the wings are brown edged with blue, and the whole under surface is reddish- 

 brown. 



In size the Poe Bird equals a large blackbird or a small pigeon, being about 

 twelve inches in total length. The long generic title of Prosthemadera is formed 

 from two Greek words — the former signifying an appendage, and the latter the neck — 

 and is given to tjie bird in allusion to the white tufts of feathers which depend from 

 the neck. 



W'flV-'li,,'' 



POE BIRD. — FrostMmmUrn Novw Zeelandiw. 



