NOTORNIS MANTELLI IN WESTERN OTAGO. 303 
drew near, the bird retreated from the opposite side of the fire, 
and when we withdrew it again approached. This manceuvre 
was repeated several times without any success on our part; but 
at the same time it should be mentioned that the bird, by its 
movements, exhibited no signs of haste or alarm. 
On several occasions we were probably within four yards of 
it, and at these times when it uttered its note we could distinctly 
feel the ground vibrate beneath us. We, however, failed to catch 
a glimpse of it, as in the intense darkness of the forest this was 
quite impossible, excepting it chanced to get between us and the 
fire, which it carefully avoided doing. 
The next day I examined the scene of the previous night’s 
adventures, and found that the clear space below the matted 
branches of the scrub under which the bird had eluded us was 
about twenty inches high, thus affording a means of approxi- 
mately determining its height. 
The Notornis remained in the vicinity of the camp during our 
stay at this place, being evidently more curious than alarmed at 
our presence. He generally sallied forth at dusk and retired at 
daybreak, his deep note completely dwarfing the cries of the Kiwi 
and noisy Kakapo. 
On the 29th January we struck our tents and returned to 
our old camping-ground near the forks of the Matukituki. 
Shortly after dusk of this evening we heard the note of a 
Notornis, and, proceeding up the south branch to the upper end 
of the gorge, I disturbed the bird under a sand-bank close to 
the river. On examining this spot I found that it had scraped 
a shallow hole in the dry sand, after the same manner, and pro- 
bably for the same purpose, as the common barn-door fowl. 
The river-flats at this place, situated about 1700 feet above 
the sea, are covered with a scanty mixed bush, affording but 
little cover; the ground, however, is thickly strewn with large 
masses of rock which have fallen from the steep cliffs on the 
south side of the river, and below which the Notornis no doubt 
found shelter during thé day-time. 
The next evening I again proceeded to the upper end of the 
gorge, where the Notornis announced his arrival by his loud note. 
Knowing where to look for it, I approached the bank as cautiously 
as possible, but, just as I looked over, it scampered away as fast 
as it could run. 
