Birds. 7467 



and sunset these birds assemble for a period of half an hour, and simul- 

 taneously give forth enchanting music, consisting simply of four 

 descending notes — E, B, B, E, — commencing on the E above the 

 staff, the third note being an octave below the second. 



Fam. Halcyonid.e. 

 Kingfisher (Kotare), Halcyon vagans, Gray. Builds in holes of 

 trees. Cries like a wryneck. 



Fam. PsiTTACID.E. 



Parrot (Kaka), Nestor meridionalis. Excellent eating. 



Redheaded Parroquet (Kakarikij, Platycercus Novse-Zealandije, 

 Forster. Excellent eating. 



Goldeuheaded Parroquet (Potarakina), Platycerus auriceps, Vigors. 

 Closely allied to the preceding. Abundant in forests. 



Gieut Night Parrot (Kakapo), Strigops habroptilus, Gray. A very 

 rare bird. As large as a fowl. Only appears by night. Cannot fly. 

 Lives in holes in the ground. Feeds on leaves and berries. Most 

 numerous in the Southern mountains of the middle Island. It was 

 much prized for food, and used to be abundant. 



Fam. CucuLiD^. 



Cuckoo (Koekoea), Cuculus taitensis, Latham, A summer visitor 

 from the Polynesian Islands. Habits similar to the English species. 



Goldenspotted Cuckoo (Pipiwarauroa), Cuculus lucidus, Latham. 

 Another extremely beautiful visitor from the Polynesian Islands. 

 Green and gold bauds and spots on the breast and belly. Arrives 

 about the 10th of October, and leaves the 1st of March. Cries like a 

 wryneck. Considered a sacred bird by the natives. 



Fam. HiRUNDlNID/E. 



Hitherto I have never seen or heard of a species of this tribe. It is 

 singular that, being in the same parallel of latitude as Southern Aus- 

 tralia, where swallows are plentiful, and not being much over one 

 thousand miles in a straight line from that continent, with heavy 

 westerly gales blowing direct to our coasts, the species so common 

 there should not have found their way to us. 



Fara. CoLUMBiD.E. 

 Pigeon (Kereru, Kuku or Kukupa), Columba Novse-Zealandi^, 

 Latham. Delicate eating. In July and August it feeds on the leaves 



