2408 The Zoologist — December, J 870. 



part of the country. What is mentioned by Wood about the Pauw is quite correct. — 

 Benj. F. Br ads haw ; Niebeck, District Albany, Cape of Good Hope, September, 1870. 



Ground Parrot or Kakapo of New Zealand. — During the whole time that this bird 

 has been iu my possession it has never shown the slightest sign of ill temper, but has 

 invariably been good-humoured and eager to receive any attention. Its playfulness is 

 remarkable. It will run from a coiner of the room, seize my hand with claws and 

 beak, and tumble over and over with it exactly like a kitten, and then rush back to be 

 invited to a fresh attack. Its play becomes sometimes a little severe ; but the slightest 

 check makes it more gentle. It has also, apparently, a strong sense of humour. 

 I have sometimes amused myself by placing a dog or cat close to its cage, and it has 

 danced backwards and forwards with outsirelched wings, evidently with the intention 

 of shamming anger, and has testified its glee at the success of the manoeuvre by the 

 most absurd and grotesque attitudes. One trick especially it has, which it almost 

 invariably uses when pleased, and that is to march about with its head twisted round 

 and its beak in the air — wishing, I suppose, to see how things look wrong way up, or 

 perhaps it wishes to fancy itself in New Zealand again. The highest compliment it 

 can pay you is to nestle down on your hand, ruffle out its feathers, and lower its wings, 

 flapping them alternately, and shaking its head from side to side: when it does this it 

 is in a superlative slate of enjoyment. I do not think it is quite correct to say that it 

 has dirty habits ; certainly it is not worse in this resjject than an ordinary parrot. I am 

 surprised to find that during the time when it was in the Zoological Gardens it very 

 rarely showed itself iu the daytime. My experience has been the reverse of this. It 

 lias generally been lively enough during the greater part of the day, though not quite 

 so violent and noisy as at night. I had this bird at Saltburn, in Yorkshire, during the 

 summer, and any of your readers who were at that place in the month of August will 

 remember seeing this bird at the bazaar held in aid of the district church, on which 

 occasion its playfulness never flagged during the whole day. This may partly have 

 been due to excitement at seeing so many strange faces; but it also no doubt felt the 

 excellence of the cause (recollect Sir G. Grey testifies to its cleverness and intelli- 

 gence), and exerted itself accordingly to help the church building-fund. — G. S. Sale ; 

 138, Cambridge Street, Pimlico, November 3, 1870. — ' Field' of November 12. [It is 

 perhaps not generally known that a specimen of this singular bird, which seems to 

 combine the characters of parrot and owl, was living in the Zoological Gardens, 

 Regent's Park, f(U' several weeks: it was extremely shy, rarely venturing to show itself 

 by daylight, and requiring the stimulus of a keeper's atteniious before it would make 

 its appearance before an expectant audience. A clever account of the bird, accom- 

 panied by an admirable figure, appeared in the ' Field ' of Nov. 5. — E. Newman.'] 



American Bittern at Cahir, Ireland. — Mr. J. White, of Cintra Glennegeary, 

 Kingstown, has kindly sent me particulars of the capture of an American bittern, as 

 supplied him by his friend Mr. Fennell, who owns the bird. It was seen on the 

 morning of the 31si of October, by one of Mr. Fennell's daughters, washing amongst 

 llie evergreens of Ganyroan. The servant man went out and shot il. The same man 

 heard it during the night making strange sounds like a person groaning. A river 

 al)ounding with small livli runs near Ganyroan. — //. Blake-Knox. 



Esijtiiuiaux Citrlciv in Dublin Market. — On lhe2lslof October last Mr. W. R. 

 Duff, of Coriig Castle, Kingstown, saw in Mr. M'Ardles' shop, in William Street, 

 Dublin, an Esquimaux curlew. Mr. Duff mentioned the circumstance to a friend. 



