The Zoologist — April, 1874. 3941 



It is probable that the rowi pairs for life, for there appears to 

 exist between the sexes a lasting companionship. For a nesting- 

 place it selects a hole in some huge tree or log, or amongst roots; 

 sometimes the hole is excavated in a soft bank, where the soil is 

 light ; but in every case care is taken that the site shall be on a 

 ridge or diy ground. We examined a nesting-place on the 17th of 

 December last, which was tunnelled in a mound of light earth, 

 probably formed by the uprooting of some forest giant : the entrance 

 was nine inches in diameter; a chamber was found to be excavated 

 to the left of the entrance ; from this to the back of the chamber 

 was a depth of three feet, with a height of fifteen inches. This 

 retreat had been abandoned by the family, but we picked pieces of 

 egg-shell from the floor. The breeding-season extends over some 

 months, from October to February. Two eggs are usually laid, on 

 which the old birds rather lie than sit. The mode of roosting is 

 very peculiar: they squat opposite each other, with their legs bent 

 under them, each with the head tucked under its scanty apology for 

 a wing; if there are young in the hole they also assume a similar 

 position, on either side a young bird between the two parents : thus 

 the result of this singular arrangement of the family is a nearly 

 perfect hemisphere of feathers. They often appear torpid or very 

 drowsy when surprised in their homes, sometimes remaining quite 

 undisturbed by noise, and are very rarely discovered except in a 

 hole. In good condition a bird will average from five to six pounds 

 in weight. Their cry is much harsher than that of the kiwi, sounding 

 something like " cr-r-r-ruck, cr-r-r-ruck," and is not uttered till after 

 sundown : from timed observations in the bush, we noticed that 

 when the sun set about 7.30 we did not hear the rowi till from 8.15 

 to 8.30. The young are well clothed when they leave the shell ; 

 with them the bill is not curved ; following the ridge of the upper 

 mandible it is slightly depressed about the middle of its length. 

 The general colour of A. australis is grayish brown, streaked with 

 black in the young and adult state ; in some fine old birds a glint 

 of golden chestnut edges part of the plumage. Not unfrequently 

 specimens have the aural feathers of dull yellowish white or gray, 

 the same hoary tone of colour being sometimes found on the occiput, 

 chin, neck and front of the thighs : these marks are not confined 

 to sex. In giving measurements of species, where an extensive 

 collection yields an ample series from which selections can be 

 made, care should be taken not to give dimensions of extraordinary 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. IX. T 



