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Notes on the egg of Mantell’s Apteryx.



NOTES ON THE EGG OF MANTELL’S

APTERYX.


By Graham Renshaw, M.D., F.R.S.E.


In May last the writer examined a female Apteryx in the

London Zoological Gardens. The bird was languid and apparently

out of sorts, and the keeper said she had been wandering about in

the daytime, contrary to her habit.* On being released, she made

no attempt to run under the straw, as is usual with these birds, but

stood quite still, with the head turned to the left—an attitude, by

the way, which has been admirably rendered in a stuffed example

recently adorning the window of Rowland Ward, Ltd. On water

being offered she drank at once, but still made no effort to run away.

She exhibited, in fact, all the dulness and sluggishness which charac¬

terises these birds on the eve of egg-laying—probably on account of

the enormous size of the egg. On May 8th the egg was duly laid, and,

by the courtesy of the Zoological Society and Mr. Seth-Smith, has

passed into the writer’s possession. In view of the rarity of speci¬

mens of late years, it may be well to call attention to its characters

and structure.


(1) As regards size, the specimen measures 5| x 4 in.


(2) The shape is the usual elliptical form, there being but

little difference between the large and small ends. Some eggs are

quite ovoid (Kirk), being wide in the middle and narrowing towards

each pole; but this is not one of them.


(3) On extrusion, the egg weighed 11| oz.—probably on account

of the bird being old, as she had been in the Zoo over eleven years,

having formed part of the great Apteryx consignment brought over in

1905.t [The smallest egg collected by Sir W. Buffer, it may be

remembered, weighed only 111 oz., while his largest weighed

15-| oz.] The specimen described in this paper was clear, but so



* Contrary to the habit of this individual bird, but not entirely contrary to that of

the species, for Apteryxes have been known to come out voluntarily to bask

in the sun. Other nocturnal species, such as Owls, have a similar habit in

the daytime.


| On June 26th, 1905, no less than eleven Mantell’s Apteryxes were received at the

Zoo. Seven were the gift of the Government of New Zealand and Mr. H. C.

Wilkie ; four were presented by the Earl of Banfurly. The entire consign¬

ment had been brought safely to England by Mr. Wilkie.



