74 D. Seth-Smith—The Kagu


THE KAGU (RHINOCHETUS JUBATUS )


By D. Seth-Smith

(See Frontispiece)


The photograph here reproduced represents the old Kagu which

lived for some fifteen years in the Zoological Gardens and was well

known to many of our members. She was a delightful bird and

extremely tame, and would readily come when called and display her

fine crest. That it was a female we know because she once laid an

egg, and a very beautiful egg it was, or rather is, for I have it safely

packed away in a cabinet.


The Zoological Society has been fortunate enough to secure four

more Kagus, all extremely fine birds, but not so tame as was old

“Johnnie”. But they are not really wild, and probably they will

soon become quite tame.


The Kagu is an inhabitant of the island of New Caledonia, where

I am told it is still fairly abundant, and it is much to be hoped that

it may be long preserved, for it is one of the most remarkable of

birds. It has no near relations, but is thought to be distantly related

to the Rails and also to the Sun-bittern of South America. It is

about the size of a domestic fowl, of a pale-grey colour, with the

wings conspicuously barred with reddish-brown and black, the

immature birds being much browner than the adult and its plumage

barred with reddish-brown.


During the last few years Mr. Heumann has been successful in

breeding the Kagu in Australia, as recorded from time to time in this

Magazine. Only one egg is laid to the clutch, and the young bird

when hatched is a very beautiful little creature, according to

Mr. Heumann, clothed in yellowish down, striped with black on the

body and brown on the head. It stays in or near the nest for four

or five days and then commences its walks abroad, leading its parents,

which follow, one on either side. The old bird picks up a worm and

dangles it in front of the chick, who seizes and swallows it.



