The Zoologist — October, 1871. 2801 



warns its fellows of impending danger by uttering loud, oft-repeated 

 cries of " kaka, kaka." In all probability it derived its native 

 name from its alarm-note. It can readily be imagined that in those 

 times when only the rudest and least effective weapons were in use, 

 long prior to the period at which the Maori became acquainted with 

 the death-dealing gun, how frequently frightened or wounded birds 

 escaped the uncertain missiles, uttering loud cries of terror : vexa- 

 tion or hunger would soon impress this call on the mind of the 

 disappointed hunter. We have ever thought it a miserable sight to 

 watch the kaka, when severely wounded, uttering its low smothered 

 cries of distress and pain ; how the wretched bird endeavours to 

 save its fall from the leafy shelter by clinging to bough and spray 

 with desperate tenacity, often seizing its wounded limb with its 

 powerful beak, as if to tear away the burning agony from which it 

 suffers. Truly gregarious, it is social even in distress ; numbers 

 gather round their wounded companion to fall easy victims to the 

 gunner. Often in the bright sunshine scores may be observed, 

 with loud screams and chatter, flying and circling about, and, high 

 above the outskirts of the bush, apparently bent on enjoying some 

 short excursion : now and then an individual more hilarious than 

 his fellows, after a somewhat slow and laboured ascent, will suddenly 

 dart downwards, perpendicularly, with almost closed wings : this 

 feat is doubtless performed to an appreciative and admiring circle, 

 if one may judge from the clamour of the company. 



The kaka we think to be less gregarious when travelling than at 

 almost any other time : when migrating from one part of the country 

 to another it proceeds on its journey at a considerable height, 

 uttering at intervals a brief note that sounds something like "t-chrut, 

 t-chrut," then perhaps a whistling call of " tweetie, tweetie." Kakas 

 do not travel in large flocks ; most frequently but two or three are to 

 be seen in company, sometimes six or eight are seen together, 

 solitary wanderers are not unfrequenlly observed : when their cry is 

 imitated it is often repHed to. Their steady, slow and somewhat 

 laboured flight when journeying is not to be mistaken for that of 

 any other native bird that we have observed on the wing; there is 

 a methodical painstaking style that affords quite a contrast to their 

 gay, rattling, off-hand soaring and gliding about the bush ; it 

 exhibits the proper difference of behaviour to be assumed under 

 business-like and pleasure-taking aspects. Man is not the only 

 biped enjoying the privilege of duality. In dull, moist weather, 



