THE ZooroGist—J UNE, 1872. 5091 
idea is due to the absence of even an apology fora tail, for the 
caudal plumage is not assumed until half their growth is reached, 
but whilst they are still under the guidance of the parent birds. 
Whilst being led forth food-hunting, the brood is most sedulously 
attended by the old birds, although perhaps they may not be at one 
time both close together; insects, worms, lizards, &c., seem their 
principal food, yet nothing comes amiss to these omnivore. When 
an old bird is aware of a lizard lying perdu beneath the sharp- 
pointed leaves of an Aciphylla, the beak is thrust into the plant in 
defiance of threatened wounds, the wings are suddenly thrust 
forward, and the adroit weka backs out with her writhing prey, 
which the young instantly devour. 
Although mercilessly persecuted, this Ishmael amongst birds 
may be found or heard in most up-country districts, but in greatly 
diminished numbers. The size of the wekas that are now usually 
met with is much smaller than it used to be; a four-pound bird is 
now almost unknown, yet, years ago, such a weight was not an 
uncommon one for a fine hill-bird. ‘The greatest sin we can lay to 
its charge is the ruthless manner with which it destroys ducks’ 
eggs, in which it is second only to the harrier. 
The weka sometimes, yet rarely, has been noticed to have a 
white feather or two in the wing. 
As an article of food, it is in far less repute than when we first 
settled here in the days of dear meat (we have since bought 
sheep at one shilling per head); our taste is more fastidious, and 
the weka is only killed, too often, for mere wantonness, or the 
pleasure of taking life. The Maoris of Arowhenua make expedi- 
tions in the winter for obtaining a supply of these birds, which 
they preserve in their own fat. On one run, near Burke’s Pass, we 
have been told that about two thousand wekas were secured by a 
party of natives at one of these hunts. 
White Tern, Sterna (alba, sp. nov.? Polts)—On the 4th of 
January, whilst crossing “the plains,” from the Rangitata to the 
Rakaia, amongst a large number of the common tern (S. 
antarctica), wheeling and hovering about one of the streams of the 
Ashburton, we first observed this white bird. The shingly river 
bed about this spot had been selected as a breeding-place by the 
common tern, for, crossing it about five weeks previously, we had 
noticed many of their dusky-coloured eggs lying in couplets on the 
bare gravel. 
