Habits of Kiwis 





as hard as his legs will carry him at the least show of anger from a larger and 

 stronger one. By imitating their cry the deep rasping one being the most 

 successful - I have always had the clear, shrill one in response. If in the close 

 neighborhood, I would then send in the dog, and it would always turn out to be 

 the male. With this bird the ordinary relationship between the sexes appears 

 to be reversed ; for instance, it is the female that undertakes the defense of the 

 house and home, for the male gives in after a very slight struggle; but the male 

 is the faster runner of the two. After the young is big enough to follow its 

 parents the male (not the female) seems to take special charge of it. The male 

 has a high, shrill cry; the female utters a low, hoarse note between a cry and a 

 hiss. Although a nocturnal bird, its sight is weak even at night, for I have seen 

 them running against objects that could easily be avoided ; but their hearing and 

 sense of smell are very acute. By going against the wind I have got to within 

 ten feet of them and seen them feeding. They do not confine themselves to 

 worms, but will also take any kind of vegetable matter available ; for example, 

 the young shoots of a very common alpine orchid. I have found three different 

 kinds of seed and a small white berry in the stomachs of those I have opened." 



