76 THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



DISPOSITION AND GENERAL HABITS. Being nocturnal, 

 these birds seem stupid by day. They are, how- 

 ever, tameable. They fight with each other, and 

 with a captor, striking with their sharp claws. 

 The females are fiercest. They can see but little, 

 even at night, but have an acute sense of smell. 



ECONOMIC QUALITIES. The flesh is edible, and the 

 feeding habits are likely to be of economic use in 

 the destruction of vermin. 



CAPTIVITY. They do well in captivity, feeding on 

 minced meat or, indeed, almost any soft food. 

 They have laid eggs in confinement, but not 

 hatched them. 



DISTRIBUTION AND SPECIES. New Zealand, where four 

 species are found : the Roas (Apteryx mantelli, 

 A. australis), with brown plumage, with lighter 

 longitudinal streaks, and the Kiwis proper (A. 

 oweni, A. haarsi), with barred grey plumage, 

 coloured much like that of a " Plymouth Rock " 

 fowl. 



LIMPKINS (Aramidce}. 



DIAGNOSIS. Large rail-like birds, with the first quill 

 having a peculiarly narrowed inner web, and bill 

 slightly curved to one side at the tip. 



SIZE. About that of a large fowl. 



FORM. Bill long, with the nostrils central ; feet with 

 long shanks ; front toes long, with no webs at the 

 base, hind-toe rather short ; wings of moderate 

 size ; tail short. Neck and thighs long. 



PLUMAGE, ETC. General colour brown, with bronzy 

 white streaks ; no sex-difference or seasonal change. 



YOUNG. Downy and active, the down black in colour. 



NEST. Open, made of rushes, etc. 



