

95 



time in hopes that he would commence again, but he was silent, and the dog ultimately 

 found him forty yards away hiding under a log. We had come up with all caution, 

 stopping when he stopped, and walking when he was drumming; yet he seemed to have 

 taken alarm. This will show how hard it must be to get right up to a bird if he takes 

 alarm at that distance. This happened about 4 p.m., but, as a rule, very few birds are 

 drumming so early." He adds : "I was always puzzled to know how it was that Kakapos 

 got so fat in summer-time, but now I find that they suck the honey out of the rata- 

 blossoms, like all the other bush-birds, and as this honey is plentiful in the Sounds in 

 December, it must form an important item to mix with their various other foods. On 

 December 18th, with the aid of a little glass syringe, I gathered a teaspoonful of this 

 honey in ten minutes, so it must be easy for the Kakapos to get as much of it as they 

 want. The little branches of the ratas are very strong, and able to bear their weight." 



Order CORACIIFORMES.l 



[Family CYPSELIDiE. 



CHCETTTRA CAUDACUTA. 



(SPINE-TAILED SWIFT.) 



Chcetura caudacuta (Latham), Kirk, Ibis, 1889, p. 299. 



An example of this species — an adult female, as it proved on dissection — was shot by Mr. Bridge 

 at Manaia, in the Hawera country, in March, 1888, and was presented to Mr. Drew, who 

 placed it in the collection of birds now forming part of the Wanganui Museum. 



i 





Order COEACIIFORMES.] 



[Family CYPSELIDiE. 



CYP8ELUS P A C T F I C IT S . 



(AUSTRALIAN SWIFT.) 



Cypselus pacificus (Latham), Buller, Birds of New Zealand, vol. L, p. 116. 



There has been no appearance of this Swift in New Zealand since the instance recorded, 

 as above, in my Second Edition. 



