KIWIS. 569 



while if a visitor shows any symptoms of fear when brought into a paddock or 

 park containing one or more of these birds, and attempts to escape by flight, he 

 will be certain to be pursued. On one occasion, at Sydney, a man thus hunted by 

 a tame emeu, was much astonished at having his hat removed by the bird. In 

 such chases, emeus appear to be actuated more by a spirit of mischief than anything 

 else ; but when they are brought to bay, and to kicking out with their muscular 

 legs, they are formidable adversaries. In kicking, the blow is delivered outwards 

 and backwards. 

 Allied Extinct It is not a little remarkable that during the Pliocene period there 



Birds. existed in Northern India a three-toed Ratite bird apparently closely 

 allied to the emeus and cassowaries ; thus showing that in former times the 

 group had a wider distribution than at present. This bird was not larger than an 

 emeu ; but during the later portion of the Tertiary epoch Australia possessed some 

 much larger species, which have been named Dromornis, and apparently indicate 

 an extinct family, more or less closely allied to the present one. 



The Kiwis. 



Family Apterygid^. 



As the ostriches are the most specialised of the living members of the subclass,, 

 so the kiwis of New Zealand may be regarded as those of its members which 

 occupy the most generalised position in the group. The specialisation of the 

 ostriches is shown, among other features, by the gigantic stature of those birds, by 

 the reduction in the number of the toes, and in the total absence of any trace of a 

 bony bridge at the lower end of the tibia. The kiwis, on the other hand, exhibit 

 their more generalised nature by their comparatively small size, — it being obvious 

 that if the Ratites are derived from flying-birds, the intermediate forms must have 

 been small, — by the presence of four complete toes, and by remnants of the bony 

 bridge at the lower end of the tibia. Whether the long beak of the kiwis is also a 

 generalised feature may be doubtful. If these birds have any close affinity with 

 the tinamus, it cannot be thus regarded ; but if, as some think, they are allied to 

 the rails, then it may be looked upon in this light. The kiwis, then, differ from 

 all the other living members of the subclass by their small size, the presence of 

 four toes to the foot, and the long and slender beak. They are further 

 characterised by the females being much superior in size to the males ; and also 

 by the complete absence of after-shafts to the feathers ; while the skeleton lacks 

 any trace of the furcula. The bones of the wing — especially the humerus — 

 are very small and slender; and externally the whole wing is completely 

 concealed by the plumage of the back. In general appearance the entire plumage 

 is markedly hair-like, the individual feathers being pointed, and composed of 

 separate filaments towards the end of the shaft, of which the basal half is 

 downy. In build, the kiwis are very robust, the thighs and legs being very 

 muscular and strong, while the toes are furnished with strong claws. While in old 

 birds the scales investing the metatarsus have overlapping edges, and form a 

 perfectly smooth surface, in the young they are soft, detached, and reticulated. 



