192 Transactions. — Zoology. 



maintained, in order to distribute over the entire surface of the egg a fair 

 and equal amount of heat. The sitting pose assumed by various species of 

 birds is in itself a study not devoid of interest either to the naturalist or the 

 physiologist. 



It is probable that, as in the case of struthious birds, the gizzard stones are 

 disgorged, but we have no evidence thereof ; it would be most interesting to 

 ascertain if such regurgitation takes place, also if any correlation could be 

 traced to seasonal or sexual conditions. The fecund kiwi within a brief 

 period has to furnish a large supply of calcareous material for the formation of 

 the egg shell ; amongst gallinaceous birds in some cases the requisite supply 

 of lime may be as considerable in proportion to the size of the bird, but 

 longer time is given for its elimination and deposition ; Gallus, Perdix, or 

 Coturnix may be cited as examples, the prolificacy of these genera being 

 evidenced by the production of from twelve to fifteen eggs, but the formation 

 of these spreads over many days. The inquiries which suggest themselves are 

 as follows : — To what extent (if any) do the gizzard stones afiect the supply of 

 necessary calcareous material for the wants of the female 1 Are the fragments 

 of stone in the gizzard of the female greater previously to the breeding season 

 than at other periods of the year 1 It must not be forgotten that the 

 difficulty of obtaining the lime supply can only be fairly estimated by personal 

 acquaintance with the habitat of the kiwi. 



The feather of the Apteryx as distinguished from the emu, exhibits the 

 peculiarity of not possessing an accessary plume; the barrel is very short in 

 reference to the shaft and its diameter small. Taxidermists allege that the 

 plumage of the kiwi is loosely attached to the skin and readily drops out, and 

 a reason to account for the ease with which the quill parts from its sac might 

 probably be found in the drying up of certain secretions after death. In dis- 

 secting specimens we found that the quills of the feathers over some portions 

 of the trunk were deeply seated in the skin, so much so that we believe the 

 bird would instantly feel the contact of external objects that might touch the 

 spinal and femoral plumage. The thick tough skin which envelopes and 

 protects this night toiler, working amidst the humid mosses of the bush, is 

 rendered more completely defensive by being thus endowed with a keen sense 

 of touch, for by the slightest displacement of its feathers the retiring cautious- 

 ness of the bird is at once awakened, and it is enabled to shrink from danger. 



Dogs readily follow the scent of the Apteryx ; those belonging to miners 

 and prospectors destroy great numbers, far more than either they or their 

 owners consume. We have observed that some kiwi-hunting dogs become 

 so dainty that they content themselves with tearing oif the head for the 

 sake of consuming the brains, leaving the rest of the carcase untouched. 

 Dogs that have lost their masters and have gradually entered upon a wild life, 



