192 Transactions.—Zoology. 
and then run with outstretched neck, and bill pointed downwards. When 
they get pushed hard they go into the first burrow they come to. In Octo- 
ber the female begins to lay one white oval egg in a nest well lined with 
leaves and grass, either in a fallen hollow tree, or under the roots of large 
trees, especially rata, and under stones. The male hatches the egg. The 
female is much larger, and has a larger bill than the male. The ery of the 
male is shriller than that of the female. This bird is to be found from 
Dusky Sound along the coast (and also inland) to Casket Point, but every- 
where rare, as the burrows have no shelter, and the bird no means of 
defence against the attacks of the number of dogs and eats run wild, who 
prey upon them, and I fear this peculiar and interesting bird will soon dis- 
appear, even from these beautiful and lovely wilds. I found in their crops 
insects and their larve, also a number of small stones for digestion. 
8. Apteryz oweni. Grey Kiwi. 
This bird is the smallest of the four existing species of Apteryz. In the 
sounds they are not very plentiful, they prefer dry and high spurs, where 
plenty of dead logs are lying about. Ihave, however, found them both in the 
low lands, and at over 2,000 feet above sea-level. They like places with 
several openings and plenty of room, and it is astonishing what small 
openings they go in and out of. Some I measured were only 8 and 4 inches 
in diameter. With the assistance of my dog it sometimes took me half a 
day to secure a bird, and very often I had to give up without result. 
They go about singly till the pairing begins, and then both sexes call 
each other, and they continue in pairs till the female lays one large white 
oval egg. They build their nest together out of dry leaves and grass, which 
they carry in with their bill. The male hatches the egg. After laying 
they soon separate, and I have never found the female near the nest. The 
young birds are soon left to look after themselves. 
I am certain that this kiwi breeds twice in a year, or in different 
seasons, as I have found a half-grown bird on the 21st June, a six-weeks- 
old bird on the 14th August, and one about two months old on the 3rd 
September. All these birds have been left by their parents. On the 16th 
September I found up the mountains (no name), 1,500 feet high, a male 
sitting on an egg in a nest under a rata, which he broke in defending by 
striking with his leg in a similar manner to all species of Apteryx. From 
that time I examined several nests. In this species also the male is smaller, 
and has a shorter bill than the female ; also the cry is different, that of the 
male being shriller. 
In their crops I have found insects, larve, berries and stones for diges- 
tion. This kiwi is distributed over the most isolated and uninhabited 
districts of the South Island, but its circle is getting every year narrower, 
as where civilization and eulture appear, this bird soon disappears. 
