23 



obtained in the South Island — the exceptional one having come from Wairarapa, in the Province 

 of Wellington. 



I had an opportunity of examining a live bird of this species in the Acclimatization Gardens 

 at Christchurch, shortly before leaving the colony; and an excellent photograph of this indi 

 vidual, kindly furnished by Dr. Barker, has enabled my artist to delineate his subject in a charac- 

 teristic attitude. 



Unfortunately this Owl, which has lived in the Gardens for upwards of two years, is stone- 

 blind, and its large eyes have a dead, glassy appearance ; but I saw quite enough to satisfy me 

 that, in its natural state, it is strictly a ground-feeder. Its appearance was very full and rounded, 

 the feathers of the head and neck being puffed out to a considerable extent. Although it had 

 the freedom of a commodious shed, I observed that it remained constantly on the ground, stand- 

 ing high on its feet, the strong, feathered tarsi being very conspicuous. It manifested much 

 impatience or, rather, restlessness, striding with rapidity along the ground, or sometimes moving 

 by a succession of hops, and generally in a rotatory manner, which may have been due to its 

 blindness. The keeper informed me that this bird is a very poor eater, refusing fresh meat, and 

 taking nothing but newly killed birds and live mice. A young mouse, quite paralyzed with fear, 

 was crouching near the ground awaiting its fate, but the Owl took no heed of it ; and in another 

 part of its shed there was lying the half-devoured body of a hen Pheasant. I remarked of this 

 bird that the feathered tarsi were much broader and stronger than they appear to be in the dried 

 specimens. It walks quickly and with long strides, the body being held very erect ; and when its 

 speed is increased, the wings are raised with a quivering motion. During the whole time that 

 it has been in confinement, the keeper has never heard it utter a sound, except once, when it 

 alarmed him with its loud mocking shriek. 



It should be mentioned that this bird, which was obtained near the source of the Cass River, 

 in the county of Westland, is much darker in plumage than the specimens in the Canterbury 

 Museum, and more nearly resembles the North-Island example mentioned above. As the colours 

 have undergone no change during its long confinement, it is sufficiently clear that the dark 

 plumage is not a condition of immaturity. 



Mr. Potts has furnished the following interesting details* regarding this species: — "If its 

 cry resembles laughter at all, it is the uncontrollable outburst, the convulsive shout of insanity. 

 We have never been able to trace the faintest approach to mirthful sound hi the unearthly yells of 

 this once mysterious night-bird — mysterious, because for years unsuccessful attempts had been 

 made to secure a specimen of this dismal visitor, whose fitful presence at eventide was scarcely 

 observed before its form was lost to view in the deepening gloom of approaching night. Mr. W. 

 Newton lately, at the Levels Station, near Timaru, secured a specimen of this Owl whilst engaged 

 in the very act of making night hideous ; so that all doubt has been removed as to the bird from 

 which this startling cry proceeds. In 1854, at Richmond, in the Malvern Hills, we first became 

 acquainted with the Whekau. It had been captured in a dram or ditch, and lived in a half-tamed 

 state for some time beneath the house, till unfortunately destroyed by a visitor's dog. Some years 

 since, we saw a fine bird, which had been caught, on the preceding night, by a bushman on the 



* Trans. New-Zealand Inst. vol. iii. p. 63, 1870. 



