PARROTS. 57 



tritious food with which it stuffs itself explains its liking for living upon the ground, and compels it 

 to resort to wild localities inhabited by no other parrots. Another peculiarity, also perhaps a con- 

 sequence of this vegetable diet, is, that instead of the soft oily fat that other birds have under the skin, 

 it has an abundance of solid white fat ; its flesh is much whiter than that of other parrots, and has a 

 very superior flavour. We must be forgiven for observing that it is a dainty article of food for those 

 who are wandering in these wildernesses, and we can quite believe that the Maoris smack their lips 

 whenever the Kakapo is mentioned." 



On the subject of their propagation, Lyall makes the following statement : — " During the latter 

 half of February and the first days of March, at which time we tarried among the dwelling-places of 

 the Kakapos, I found young in many holes, often only one, and never more than two in each. In 

 one instance I found a single nestling and an addled egg. Sometimes, not always, I found the parent 

 in the hole. There is no real nest ; - the bird only scratches a shallow cavity in the dry mass of 

 decayed wood. The egg is pure white, about the size of a pigeon's. 



" Many young birds were brought to us on board ship, but most of them died in a few days, 

 apparently in consequence of the unusual treatment; others lived for some months. Generally, after a 

 few weeks, their legs were crippled by confinement, either on account of the smallness of their cage, or 

 the want of proper food. We fed them principally with sopped bread and cooked potatoes ; if we 

 allowed them to run about in the garden, they ate the grass and cabbages, and snapped eagerly at every 

 green leaf that came in their way. A Kakapo which we succeeded in bringing alive to within six 

 hundred miles of the English coast, ate, while we resided in Sydney, the leaves of the Banksias and 

 Eucalypti. It seemed to relish nuts and almonds, and during the latter part of our voyage home, 

 lived almost entirely upon Brazil nuts. On several occasions this bird was seized with cramp for two or 

 three days, and whilst this lasted it ate nothing, cried furiously, and hacked with its bill if any one 

 ventured to disturb it. At such times it was not to be trusted, for it bit most fiercely, precisely when 

 least expected. Its temper was always at the best when any one took it out of its cage. Early in the 

 morning it would busy itself, as soon as out of confinement, with the first object that came in its way, 

 generally with our trousers or boots. The latter it much fancied — it would squat upon them, beat 

 its wings, and give every symptom of the greatest enjoyment ; it would then rise, rub its sides against 

 them, roll on them back downwards, and kick its feet in the most lively manner. An unlucky accident 

 caused its death." 



Another of these birds, which Captain Stoke brought ashore and transmitted to the care of Major 

 Murray, was allowed to run about the garden freely. It showed a strong liking for the company of 

 children, and would follow them about like a dog. 



The Long-tailed Parrots are rich in species, and present considerable variety in their 

 dimensions, their size ranging from that of the largest Parrot to that of a Finch; but they all possess 

 in common a graduated tail, at least as long as the body, the middle feathers of which are sometimes 

 twice the length of those at the side. The wings, which are moderately pointed, seldom reach, when 

 folded, beyond the first third of the tail. The beak is, as a rule, strong, almost always short, and 

 very round, but sometimes, in solitary cases, it is long and but slightly bowed. 



The plumage of the Long-tailed Parrots is very varied, still it never possesses the softness and gloss 

 observable in the coat of the Lory. A tuft-like prolongation of the feadiers is rarely but occasionally 

 met with. It is, however, impossible to describe the plumage of this group in general terms ; suffice 

 it to say, that the hues we have mentioned as employed in the coloration of other parrots, also pre- 

 dominate in their feathers. The Long-tailed Parrots may be considered as the type of their order, 

 inhabiting, as they do, all the various countries in which the race is found. 

 8 



