196 Transactions. — Zoology, 



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 hi 

 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 — coining 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 examinations for that purpose. The alpine birds are 



