366 



CUCULIFORMES 



of Reunion, Nestor productus of Phillip Island, and JV. norfolcensis 

 of Norfolk Island, only a few specimens exist, and those in 

 collections ; Palaeornis exsul of Rodriguez and Conurus periinax 

 of St. Thomas in the West Indies are verging upon extinction. A 

 Macaw seems to have disappeared from Jamaica, and six Parrots 

 from Guadeloupe and Martinique. 



The sexes of all the species described below are alike, unless 

 otherwise stated, the young being commonly duller. 



Fam. III. Psittacidae. Sub-fam. 1. Stringopinae. Stringops 



FIG. 73. Kakapo. Stringops habroptilus. x 4-. (From Nature. ) 



habroptilus, the Kakapo or Tarapo of New Zealand, has sap-green 

 upper parts, with yellow middles to the feathers and transverse 

 brown markings; yellower lower surface; and browner cheeks, 

 remiges, and rectrices. The soft plumage, the disc of feathers 

 round the eye, and the nocturnal habits have given this bird the 

 name Owl-Parrot. During the day it usually hides in holes near 

 the ground, emerging towards evening to feed greedily on mosses, 

 bracken, seeds, berries, such as those of Coriaria sarmentosa, and 

 even lizards ; while the companies make tracks a foot or more wide 

 across the herbage. The Kakapo inhabits alpine districts or open 



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