90 



•with blue, with a broad mark or band of dark brown near the end, tip pale 

 brown, inner webs toothed with yellow, under side of tail feathers washed with 

 yellow ; lower part of back and upper tail coverts green, shaded with dark 

 orange-red margined with brown ; vent and under tail coverts yellowish green. 

 Bill, following the curve from gape to point, 2 inches ; wings from flexure 

 12 inches 9 lines ; tail 7 inches 7 lines ; tarsus 1 inch 7 lines ; largest toe with 

 nail 2 inches 3 lines ; total length, from point of bill to extremity of tail, 

 21 inches. 



Female. — The plumage is rather duller than that of the male, the under 

 nape of neck closely marked with di;sky brown. Bill 2 inches ; wings fi'om 

 flexure 1 2 inches 4 lines ; tail 7 inches ; tarsus 1 inch 5 lines ; largest toe and 

 nail 2 inches 3 lines ; total length 20 inches 9 lines. 



Another male, prociired in the same locality, presents no marked difference 

 in plumage, but is rather smaller in dimensions. 



No. 56. — Stringops (Strigops) habroptilus, Gray. 

 Kakapo. 

 Ground Parrot. 

 Numbers of skins of this beautiful and I'emarkable PaiTot have been 

 received at the Canterbury Museum, from Westland, during the last two years. 

 The size of the specimens varies ; one of the finest gives the following dimen- 

 sions : — Bill from gape 1 inch 7 lines ; upper mandible at the greatest width 

 9 lines; wings from flexure 10 inches 7 lines ; tail 7 inches 3 lines ; tarsi 

 2 inches 3 lines ; longest toe with claw 3 inches 3 lines ; total length 29 J inches. 

 An addled egg of the Kakapo was also received in the course of the last 

 summer, the whiteness of the shell much discoloured ; its shape is not unlike 

 that of the kaka, the larger end being broad. Its length is 1 inch 11 lines, 

 with a breadth of 1 inch 5 lines. 



No. 57.— EuDYNAMis Tahitiensts, Gml. 

 Kohoperoa, Koekoea. 

 Long-tailed Cuckoo. 

 About midsummer is iisually the time when we first hear the call of the 

 Long-tailed Cuckoo, who annually pays us a very brief visit, departing, as we 

 believe, before signs of autumn indicate that the waning power of summertide 

 is nearly expended. 



It is not a rare occurrence for two or more of these handsome birds to be 

 observed in company, or even disporting themselves in the same tree ; this 

 apparent sociability is perhaps i-eally the efiect of that remarkable instinct 

 which guides migrants to so close an observance in the elate of their annual 

 arrival, and may thus account for several being seen together. 



We are not in a position to afford much information of its breeding habits, 

 although we have had several opportunities of seeing, and also of examining, 



