Bush-birds of New Zealand. 52k 
ros) 
Ct 
6. NESTOR MERIDIONALIS. 
Nestor meridionalis Grant, Ibis, 1905, p. 581. 
No. 137. ¢ ad. Maungahaumia, 3000 ft., May 27th, 1906. 
Total length 18°2 inches. Iris brownish black; bill black at 
the tip, shading to slaty black at the base ; nostril black with 
dirty greenish yellow on the slaty cere; legs and feet with 
small slaty black scales on dirty yellow skin ; inside of feet 
dirty yellowish white ; claws slaty black. 
No. 147. 2 ad. Maungahaumia, 3000 ft., July 26, 1906. 
Total length 17:2 inches. Iris brownish black, almost black ; 
bill slaty black, lighter at the base of the lower mandible ; 
legs and feet slaty black; claws dark horn-coloured ; inside 
of feet dirty yellowish. 
The Kaka Parrot was not common when I first arrived in 
April, but towards the middle of May, when the Tawari 
became ripe, it appeared in great numbers on the birch- 
ridges, and by the end of June was excessively fat. The 
tops of these trees were well populated for many weeks, and 
as they were felled the birds descended to the fallen tops, 
but they appeared to have some difficulty in obtaining 
the fruit from this position. They roosted down the sides of 
the hills, but were early astir, and by sunrise the bush 
around our camp resounded with their pleasant whistling. 
Here they remained among the larger limbs of the birches 
during the heat of the day, and subsequently to the afternoon 
meal flew late to roost. The seeds of the Tawari ([xerba 
brexioides) are contained in soft segmented pods, about 
the size of a filbert, produced at the tips of the branches. 
The Kakas open these pods and swallow the seeds, together 
with some of the pulpy interior of the pod, digesting the 
inner creamy pulp and afterwards ejecting the shining black 
skin. They also feed on the Miro-berries, and their bills 
become quite sticky with the gum. In wet weather they 
were often started from the ground, where, no doubt, they 
were investigating fallen and rotten timber in search of 
grubs. ‘Their harsh scream, like the scratching of a nail 
upon a tin match-box, was much im evidence before stormy 
weather, and many, if not all, would leave this high ridge 
