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On the level ground its mode of locomotion is very peculiar, it is not so 

 much a walk as a kind of hoj)ping jump, which imparts a very odd appearance 

 to its gait; but when its strong climbing foot is observed, this is not to be 

 wondered at ; at a glance it will be seen how inferior is the strength and 

 power of the two inside, in proportion to that of the outer toes ; the short 

 tarsi are also unfitted for walking. 



In addition to the superior size of the bird and the colour of its plumage, 

 the beak presents a marked contrast to that of the kaka ; it is smoother, less 

 curved, and much slighter, with a length of 2 inches from the gape to the 

 point ; the upper mandible, at the widest pait, — that is in a line with the 

 nostiils, — ^measures 5|- lines in width, with a height of 7 lines. In flight and 

 voice the two species greatly difiier. There is no doubt the Kea breeds in 

 the crevices of its rocky haunts ; the kaka occasionally rears its young amongst 

 rocks also. The eggs of the Green Parrot are as yet, we believe, amongst the 

 desiderata of the New Zealand ornithologists. 



Although comparativ'ely few people are acquainted with the bird, it is not 

 on that account to be considered rare ; the reason it is so little known is, the 

 remoteness of its habitat from the centres of population ; it certainly appears 

 to be very local in its distribution ; a straggler now and then has been observed 

 far from its usual haunts, for in one instance we have a note of its occurrence 

 at the Hororata, in the Malvern Hills, close to the edge of the Canterbury 

 Plains. Its beak can inflict a severe wound ; a friend of ours, incautiously 

 handling a pet, had his thumb bitten through by its powerful mandibles. 



The following descriptions are taken from two specimens obtained on 

 the banks of the Plavelock ; their crops were well filled with seeds of a 

 Fittosporum : — 



Male. — Bill smooth, curved ; upper mandible dark horn colour, lightest at 

 the culmen, approaching to black near the base, the inside marked with slight 

 longitudinal furrows ; lower mandible yellowish on the sides, fuiTOwed on the 

 inside ; sere, covering the base of the upper mandible at its widest part, 

 measuring 5 lines ; nostrils raised or swollen ; upper part of the plumage dull 

 gTeen witJi a silvery shade ; shafts of feathers dark brown ; feathers tipped 

 sometimes margined with dark brown ; forehead brownish green ; feathers 

 which rest against the gape produced into hair-like points ; under parts 

 dull silvery green with brownish wash ; nape silvery gi^een with almost 

 a collar of dark brown ; quill feathers, the third and fourth are the 

 longest in the wing, dark brown, the basal part of the four first feathers 

 blue on the oiiter web ; inner web dark brown toothed with pale yellow ; 

 the rest of the primaries of a brighter blue on the outer web ; second- 

 aries bluish green on the outer web, inner web brown, toothed irregularly 

 with pale yellow ; under wing coverts yellow and bright scarlet slightly tipped 

 with brown ; tail, shaft of feathers produced beyond the web, dull green shot 



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