9200 Birds. 
well as frequently to come off victorious.” The natives call this bird 
“roa,” and Professor Hochstetter has proposed to name it Apteryx 
maxima; and, lastly,— 
5. Dr. Haast. who is now exploring the alpine region of the Middle 
Island, writing to me, under date, July 26, 1862, says, “I believe 
I have convincing oracular proof that in those never-before-trodden 
alpine forests (Canterbury Province) exists a very large kiwi, the 
existence of which till at present was quite unknown. I have heard 
many times the roa, the large kiwi of the west coast, but his call is like 
the cry of a baby to the voice of a powerful man when compared to 
the call which we heard in the Alps, while camping near the edge of 
an extensive forest. * * * It was towards midnight, and although 
fast asleep we were all awakened by this enormously loud call.” Was 
not this, think you, the scream of a veritable Palapteryx ? 
Yours faithfully, 
WALTER BULLER. 
Acclimation and Breeding of Emeus (Dromius irroratus, Bartlett) 
in Surrey. Chapter Il. By Wit11aAm Bennett, Esq. 
I LEFT my young emeus (Zool. 8323) just parted from their affec- 
tionate father, and not yet fully reconciled to beginning the world on 
their own account. The sense of deprivation gradually wore off, and 
occasionally they were indulged with an interchange of visits, in order 
to keep up acquaintanceship and mutual interest. During the winter 
they had each a severe illness, one following the other. My friend 
. John Steele, one of our ablest medical practitioners of Reigate, and a 
warm naturalist, hearing of their indisposition, called professionally. 
On examination of the symptoms, apprehending it was the liver that 
was affected, probably by the difference of our climate, he prescribed 
one-grain calomel pills, to be given every third day, followed by a 
gentle aperient. They were very difficult patients to administer 
anything to. Somehow, however, this was managed for a fortnight, 
and they both recovered, after one had been entirely given over. They 
are now grown fine birds, nearly as tall as their parents, but not, 
I think, mature for another season at least. The two are very different 
in their bearing and manners, one being much higher spirited and less 
tractable than the other; but both have for some months began to put 
on the boom, the peculiar indication of the female bird, though one is 
much more distinctly pronounced than the other, and it is exceedingly | 
