The Owl-Parrot 



271 



a flightless species like the Stringops. As with the other non- 

 volant New Zealand birds, abundance of food within easy 

 reach and the absence of carnivorous animals and birds of 

 prey in past ages, has doubtless rendered escape by flight 

 unnecessary, and so the use of the wings has gradually 

 declined, until at last the birds have lost the power of flight 



The Owl-Parrot (Stringops habroptilus). 



altogether. In the case of the Owl-Parrot, however, another 

 means of escape from danger is to hand, in its grass-green 

 plumage, which forms a protective resemblance to its 

 natural surroundings, so that, if forced to quit its hiding- 

 place in the day-time, it is able to escape observation simply 

 by remaining perfectly quiet in the midst of the green moss, 

 which clothes the country where it is found, and to which 



