30 



There, in the deep sounds which intersect that part of the island, it is still found in considerable 

 numbers, inhabiting the dry spurs of hills or flats near the banks of rivers where the trees are 

 high and the forest comparatively free from fern or underwood. The first place where it was 

 obtained was on a hill nearly 4000 feet above the level of the sea. It was also found living in com- 

 munities, on flats near the mouths of rivers close to the sea. In these places the tracks were to 

 be seen, resembling footpaths made by man, and leading us at first to imagine that there must be 

 natives in the neighbourhood. The tracks are about a foot wide, regularly pressed down to the 

 edges, which are two or three inches deep amongst the moss, and cross each other usually at 

 right angles. 



" The Kakapo lives in holes under the roots of trees, and is also occasionally found under 

 shelving rocks. The roots of many New-Zealand trees growing partly above ground, holes are 

 common under them ; but where the Kakapo is found, many of the holes appeared to have been 

 enlarged, although no earth was ever found thrown out near them. There were frequently two 

 openings to these holes ; and occasionally, though rarely, the trees over them were hollow for 

 some distance up. The only occasion on which the Kakapo was seen to fly was when it got up 

 one of these hollow trees and was driven to an exit higher up. The flight was very short, the 

 wings being scarcely moved ; and the bird alighted on a tree at a lower level than the place from 

 whence it had come, but soon got higher up by climbing, using its tail to assist it. Except when 

 driven from its holes, the Kakapo is never seen during the day ; and it was only by the assistance 

 of dogs that we were enabled to flnd it. Before dogs became common, and when the bird was 

 plentiful in inhabited parts of the islands, the natives were in the habit of catching it at night, 

 using torches to confuse it. It ofiers a formidable resistance to a dog, and sometimes inflicts 

 severe wounds with its powerful claws and beak. At a very recent period it was very common all 

 over the west coast of the Middle Island ; but there is now a race of wild dogs said to have 

 overrun all the northern part of this shore, and to have almost extirpated the Kakapo wherever 

 they have reached. ^ 



physical obstruction ; and it is to be feared that, if they once succeed in gaining the stronghold of 



Their range is said to be at present confined by a river or some such 



uie ivaKapo [uie o.W. ena oi tne island;, the bird may soon become extinct. During the latter 

 half of February and the first half of March, whilst we were amongst the haunts of these birds, we 

 found young ones in many of the holes— frequently only one, never more than two, in the same 

 hole. In one case where there were two young ones, I found also an addled egg. There was 

 usually, but not always, an old bird in the same hole with the young ones. They build no nest, 

 but simply scrape a slight hollow amongst the dry dust formed of decayed wood. The young were 

 of different ages, some being nearly fully fledged, and others covered only with down. The egg 

 is white and about the size of a Pigeon's. 



" The cry of the Kakapo is a hoarse croak, varied occasionally by a discordant shriek when 

 irritated or hungry. 



caves, and that at the times of meeting, and again before dispersing to their summer haunts, the 

 noise they make is perfectly deafening. A good many young ones were brought on board the 

 the ship alive. Most of them died a few days afterwards, probably from want of sufficient care ; 

 some died after being kept a month or two ; and the legs of others became deformed after they 

 had been a few weeks in captivity. The cause of the deformity was supposed to be the want of 



Maories 



proper foc 

 water, anc 



grass? 

 within 



and 



SVC 



ea2:erly of 



to pi 



efer 



almonds, a 

 gronnd-nu 



for two 

 attempted 



when such 

 taken out 

 held dowi 

 which attr 

 Of the la 

 showing e' 

 upon it on 

 shore hy ( 

 allowed to 

 like a dog 

 " Nee 

 a thick la 



stomachs 

 of fibre ii 

 usually m' 

 various pi 

 of a legur 

 our pilot, 

 the Kaka] 



SirG 

 Mr. Goul 



c 



I 



¥ 



"Du: 



on the boi 



profound i 

 ^gain, deli 

 ^i^'ely, ani 

 ^^^it, seed 



Planner oi 

 ^nd only 



itself whe: 

 bough_ 



greedy bij 



I 



