374 



CUCULIFORMES 



Archipelago ; L. lory of Papuasia being red, with black crown, 

 blue nape, upper back, central breast and abdomen, and tip of 

 the tail ; while the wings and middle portion of the rectrices are 

 green. In habits these three genera seem to resemble Trichoglossus. 

 The members of Sos (Eed Lory) are red, relieved by blue, except 

 E.fuscata, which is dusky, with red and yellow markings ; they 

 extend from the Sanghir and Tenimber Islands and the Moluccas 

 to the Caroline and Solomon groups. CJialcopsiitacus of Papuasia 

 has purplish-black, olive, or green species, usually varied with red. 

 Sub-fam. 3. Nestorinae. — This contains only the genus Nestor, 

 with five species, of which K norfolcensis of Norfolk Island, and 

 N. productus of Phillip Island are extinct, while N. esslingi is 

 hardly valid. N. mericlionalis, the' New Zealand Kaka Parrot, 

 is olive -brown, with reddish cheeks and collar, crimson rump, 

 abdomen and under wing-coverts, brown tail and breast, and 

 grey crown. Several races have been described, varying in the 

 amount of red. The Kaka is fearless, social, sprightly, and 

 noisy, though semi-nocturnal and apt to retire to the deep forest 

 during daylight. It utters harsh rasping and chuckling notes, 

 or musical whistles ; while it climbs trees with the aid of its 

 beak and feet, and searches the dead wood for insects. It flies 

 in lofty circles, or at times hops about the ground ; the food con- 

 sists largely of juicy fruits, blossoms, and nectar from the Piata 

 {Metrosideros robusta) or the New Zealand flax (PJwrmium tenax). 

 In semi-captivity this bird is a good mimic and talker, but 

 terribly destructive to furniture, clothing, and orchard produce; 

 the Maories keep it as a lure, encircling the metatarsus with a 

 bone ring fastened by a cord to the perch. Four oval eggs are 

 laid in hollow trees, in crevices of rocks, or under stumps and roots, 

 occasionally on fragments of bark. Nestor notahilis, the Kea of 

 the south island of New Zealand, has olive-green plumage with 

 blackish margins ; the wings and tail are varied with blue and 

 yellow, the latter having a brown subterminal band ; the rump 

 and under wing-coverts are scarlet. The female is duller. It 

 frequents rugged slopes of high snowy mountains, descending to 

 the lowlands in winter ; the small companies soar aloft, fly from 

 peak to peak, or search for insect-food among the stunted vegeta- 

 tion. Tame, inquisitive, and destructive, the natural habits and 

 food resemble those of the Kaka, allowing for the difference of 

 haunts ; but this bird will scream or mew, and lays larger and 



