370 



The male, female, and young, described above, were all taken from one nest by Dr. Haast 

 himself during one of his explorations on the west coast of the Canterbury Province. 



It is said to be excellent eating ; and the diggers' pot is contributing, equally with the trade 

 in specimens, to the rapid extirpation of the bird. The effect of such a statement as this on the 

 mind of a true-hearted naturalist may be readily inferred from the following letter addressed by 

 Mr. E. Blyth to the Editor of ' The Ibis,' in 1861 : — " Some time ago I met a stranger who had 

 been travelling in New Zealand. Of course I was curious about the Apteryx owcni ; and I showed 

 him Gould's figure of the bird, and tried to make him comprehend some notion of its value. 

 'Good,' said he, 'I know it well: we ate four of them in one pie!' Alas for Apteryx oweni, as 

 well as for the last remaining specimens of Dinornis or Palapteryx (if such there yet remain), to 

 be put into a pie ! Gather your roses while you may, Mr. Editor, and collect your impennates 

 before this pestilent civilization spoils and ruins every thing!" 



The egg of this species is of a long elliptical form, measuring 4'3 inches in length by 2 - 4 in 

 its widest part. It is originally white, but becomes much stained or soiled during incubation ; 

 and some examples have the shell traversed with thread-like excrescences, especially at the 

 larger end. 



