71 



a watch was stolen, and accidentally recovered, a few days after, at some little 

 distance from the hut ; for the Weka, unlike the Jackdaw at home, does not 

 appear to care for a secret hiding-place in which to conceal its pilferings. 



We have seen it kill a well-grown Spanish chicken, six weeks old, with 

 one blow of its powerful bill. Some time since, a Weka appeared in our 

 garden, much to our gratification, for, in the neighbourhood, the bird was of 

 very rare occurrence ; all went well till the first brood of choice Dorking chickens 

 was discovered, and then, well, the Weka had to die. 



At night, and before rain, the loud screaming of this bird is most 

 frequently heard. The nest is found in a variety of situations, such as in a 

 tuft of Celmisia, grass-tussock, or sometimes in a thicket of young plants, on 

 the outskirts of the bush ; we have observed it under the shelter of a rock, 

 without any attempt at concealment, which the tussocks growing close by 

 would have afforded. Grass is usually the staple material of its home, which 

 is large, and basin-shaped within. The eggs, from five to seven in number, are 

 white, with reddish marks generally distributed over the surface ; but in many 

 specimens the colouring is most abundant at the larger end. The young, 

 covered with very dark down, may be observed, like chickens, following the 

 old bird, who collects them around with the call of toom, toom, repeated 

 quickly, and much lower in tone than the booming note to Avhich the Weka 

 sometimes gives utterance, and which is probably the call of the male. As the 

 young grow up, the dark -brown of its early days gives place to a more mottled 

 plumage when about one-third grown ; although the legs become lighter in 

 colour, the beak still retains its dark appearance. There is much difference in 

 the size of Wekas, some of the hill-birds are very large, and we expect that 

 before very long they will be classed as a separate species. 



A very light-coloured specimen was observed near Mount Hutfc, last year. 

 Numbers of these birds are killed for their oil, which is much esteemed by 

 bush-men for a variety of purposes ; properly dressed, they are excellent as an 

 article of food, due care being taken as to where they are obtained, as they are 

 very foul feeders. 



No. 91. — Porphyrio melanotus, Temm. 

 Pukeko. 

 Swamp-hen. 



This beautiful rail delights in swamps, where its nest is also to be found, 

 built of grass ; the top is sometimes more than a foot above the ground, and 

 not unfrequently it may be observed surrounded by water. The number of 

 eggs to a nest varies considerably, as we have found from two to seven, five 

 may be considered the usual complement, in shape ovoiconical, greyish-brown, 

 with dots and blotches of reddish-brown, measuring through the axis 2 inches 

 2 lines, with a diameter of 1 inch 6 lines. These dimensions appear very 

 small for so large a bird, more especially when compared with those of the egg 

 of Apteryx Mantelli. The young run about as soon as they are hatched, and 

 on being disturbed conceal themselves with great art. They are thickly 

 clothed with black velvety down, interspersed with fine hair-like points of 

 silver-grey ; legs dullish-red, beak has a yellowish ivory look, which contrasts 

 pleasingly with the rest of the body. The Pukeko is esteemed excellent 

 eating. 



No. 92. — Casarca variegata, Gml. 

 Putangitangi. 

 Paradise Duck. 



This well-known bird often chooses the shelter of a huge tussock, beneath 

 which to make its nest ; sometimes a hole in a rock is chosen in preference. 



