196 Transactions,—Z oology, 
The alpine kakapo—so called by me as I have never found this beautiful 
bird except on the high mountains—is considerably larger, and much 
_ brighter in plumage. I was under the impression before the winter set in 
that these birds inhabit the Alps in the summer time when there is an 
abundance of food; but to my surprise my later investigations proved this 
to be erroneous, for as I have said, I have never seen them anywhere else, 
though I have repeatedly seen them taking their nightly walks on the 
Alps, when the snow covered everything to a depth of three feet or 
more. 
I was particularly anxious to observe the manner in which the kakapos 
make their tracks. I therefore hid myself on several occasions in proximity 
to one of the tracks, and in such a position that I could see every bird as it 
passed along. It was very amusing to watch these creatures—generally one 
at a time—coming along the track feeding, and giving a passing peck at any 
root or twig that might be in the way. Thus the tracks are always kept 
clean ; in fact they very much resemble the native tracks, with the excep- 
tion that they are rather narrower, being from eight to fourteen inches wide. 
The kakapos generally select the tops of spurs for the formation of their 
tracks. I was curious to know how the birds would manage when their 
tracks should be covered with snow. Opportunities were afforded of 
satifying my curiosity. I found that they travelled on the surface of the 
frozen snow, and that their tracks were soon plainly visible, though not 
more than an inch between the level of the surrounding snow. In many 
places the scrub, which consists of silver pine, akeake, and other alpine 
vegetation, is so dense that the snow cannot penetrate it. The kakapos 
take advantage of this to make their habitations under the snow-covered 
scrub, where it is both dry and warm. 
The kakapo leaves his burrow after sunset, and returns before day- 
light. If they cannot reach their own home during the darkness, they 
will shelter in any burrow which may be unoccupied, as they travel 
long distances. ‘They consume large quantities of food, which consists 
of grass, grass seed, and other alpine vegetation. In July they are 
in splendid condition, those found having as much as two inches of fat 
upon them. The young birds are delicious food when roasted in the 
camp oven. I prefer them to any other game. I was much surprised and 
interested to find in the intestines of these old alpine fat birds parasites 
from six inches to two feet long. These parasites are flat, about a quarter 
of an inch wide, milky white, and jointed very closely. I have found three 
of these parasites knotted together, and many single ones tied in three or 
four knots. I have not found any parasites in the bush kakapos, although 
I made many examinatious for that purpose. The alpine birds are 
