82 



their propagation. Its love of insect food, and the toil which it undertakes for 

 the sake of gratifying this appetite, which Naiure has implanted in this bird, 

 materially affect the economy of the timber forests it inhabits. Although so 

 often accused of injuring trees by stripping down the bark, from careful 

 observation we do not believe a flourishing tree is ever damaged by its beak ; 

 it is the apparently vigoro\TS, but really unsound tree that is attacked, already 

 doomed by the [jresence of countless multitudes of insects, of many varieties 

 of which it is at once the food and refuge, either in their perfect or larvse 

 state. 



In the persevering and laborious pursuit of this favourite food, the Kaka 

 doubtless lends his assistance in hastening the fall of decaying trees^ the 

 loosened strips of bark, dissevered, admit to the exposed wood, rain, moisture 

 collected from dews and mists to be dried by evaporation, by the heat of the 

 sun, by the desiccating winds, only to become saturated again ; under this 

 alternation the insidious fungi take root, decay rapidly sets in, the close-grained 

 timber gives place to a soft spongy texture, branches drop off, and gradually 

 the once noble-looking tree succumbs to its fate ; but its gradual decay and 

 fall, the work of years, has proved beneficial to the surrounding plants, the 

 dropping of the branches admits light and air to the aspiring saplings, assists 

 in checking the undue spread of lichens and epiphytes, and when the old stem 

 falls, tottering down from its rottenness, its place is su2)plied by vigorous 

 successors. In estimating the value of its laboiirs as an insect-eater, it should 

 not be forgotten that the Picidce family is entirely absent from oiir bird system, 

 and that upon this indefatigable climber devolves some share of the duty of 

 representing that peculiar groujD of forest birds. 



Living in ti^ees, when disturbed it hops amongst the branches with much 

 dexterity, beak and wings assisting its awkward-looking but rapid pi-ogress as 

 it threads its way amongst leaves and sj^rays with unruffled plumage ; the 

 peculiar formation of its grasping feet enable it to execute wonderful feats of 

 agile climbing. A sharp short note or two marks its uneasiness when a vigilant 

 eye watches what takes place below ; when really alarmed, after a few huri'ied 

 movements, it flies some short distance, at first start usually gliding downwards 

 rather than flying straight, threading the leafy maze of the close-growing 

 trees with perfect ease and grace, at this time it warns its fellows of impending 

 danger by uttering loud oft-i-epeated cries of "kaka, kaka." In all jjrobability 

 it derived its native name from its alarm note. It can readily be imagined 

 that in those times when only the rudest and least effective weapons were in 

 use, long prior to the period at which the Maori became acquainted with the 

 death-dealing gun, how frequently frightened or wounded bii'ds escaped the 

 uncertain missiles, uttering loud cries of terror ; vexation or hunger woiild 

 soon impress this call on the mind of the disappointed hunter. "We have ever 

 thought it a miserable sight to watch the Kaka, when severely wounded, 



