Sept. 28, 1888.] 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



34i 



summer they had penetrated as far as Timaru, West 

 Coast Road, and Stenmark, and increased to an astonish- 

 ing degree. The farmers find that their red clover is 

 now exceedingly rich in seed. 



Weight of Brain in Small Birds. — In the following 

 following species the weight of the brain in proportion to 

 the body is greatest. In Reguhis calendula (ruby- 

 crossed kinglet) it is one-seventeenth of the body ; in 

 Parus atricapillus (chickadee) one-seventeenth, and in 

 Setophaga ruticilla (American red-start) one thirteenth. 



Insect-eating Plants. — According to Prof. W. P. 

 Wilson {American Naturalist), the appliances for the 

 capture of insects are much more efficient in Sarracenia 

 variolaria than in the more common S. purpurea. He 

 considers that in the latter species the insect-feeding 

 habit is disappearing. 



Cure for the Bite of Vipers. — According to the 

 Rev. Henri Dussart, of Saint Omer, a small glass of the 

 juice of the burdock {Arctium lappa) taken inwardly 

 effects a cure even in apparently desperate cases. — 

 Cosmos. 



Extirpation of the Vicuna. — The American Consul 

 Baker (Humboldt), in a report to his Government, esti- 

 mates the number of vicunas destroyed yearly at a 

 quarter of a million, and fears their early extermination 

 unless protective measures are promptly adopted. 



THE KAGU.— II. 

 (Continued from page 316.^) 

 Little is known of the breeding habits ot these birds, 

 as up to 1885 not a single nest had ever been found by 

 any reliable authority (although the natives, of course, 

 have theories of their own upon the subject). The 

 Kagus make apparently but little use of their wings, 

 invariably roosting on the ground, with their heads either 

 sunk between their shoulders or tucked under their 

 wings, and although very expert in climbing up the 

 wires of their cage when in captivity, they manifest but 

 little interest in the higher vegetation of their native 

 land, contenting themselves with the stumps and lower 

 branches of the trees, and when alarmed, simply hiding 

 in the brushwood. According to some later English 

 settlers in New Caledonia, the Kagu is a nocturnal bird, a 

 fact which its earlier biographers omitted to chronicle, 

 though they all noticed that it was invariabty more 

 lively towards evening. It frequents the banks of rivers, 

 small marshes and ponds, and especially the sea-shore, 

 and it seems to have a great predilection for wet weather 

 and heavy dews. It feeds on snails, worms, etc., seek- 

 ing its food in all sorts of holes and corners, instead of 

 patiently waiting, like its cousin the Heron, to seize its 

 prey when in motion. It breaks the snail shells on a 

 stone in much the same way as our English thrush. It 

 never touches seeds, vegeables, or bread, even when in 

 captivity, but will eat meat, if cut up small, and will 

 devour Worms to an amazing extent. M. Joubert used 

 to employ natives to collect worms for his Kagu, and 

 found that it easily disposed of about a quart per diem. 

 The Kagu is very shy when wild, but once caught, is 

 easily tamed and domesticated, especially if caught 

 young, artd.it will adapt itself with surprising quickness 



to the habits of a poultry-yard. At Port de France, New 

 Caledonia, there lived for some time a very tame pair 

 of these birds, which were quite well-known and highly- 

 respected inhabitants of the town. If a dog ever 

 ventured to interfere with them, they would at once raise 

 their crests, and vigorously flap their wings and other- 

 wise show signs of anger until they had driven the in- 

 truder away, and they invariably followed workmen 

 with digging implements, showing a quick appreciation 

 of the laws of cause and effect, as demonstrated in the 

 relations between spades and worms. As domestic pets, 

 these birds should be held in high esteem ; they are 

 active and agile to a degree, and their pantomimic antics 

 are so absurd that they could not fail to amuse any one at 

 all interested in bird-life. The Kagu has a sort of Mark- 

 Tapley-Iike faculty of accommodating itself to adverse 

 circumstances, which is worthy of all praise. It pre- 

 sumably prefers liberty, but once captured, instead of 

 idly bemoaming its fate, it briskly sets to work to make 

 the best of a bad bargain, generally inaugurating life 

 under these new aspects, if in company with other 

 birds, by a rousing chase of its companions. It would 

 be unjust to the bird (which, by the way, must be M. 

 Ferdinand Joubert's " Kagu Bush " so-called, since he 

 stigmatises the other member of the family as distinctly 

 pugnacious) — it would be unjust, we repeat, to hastily 

 dub this cheery little being as quarrelsome. He is 

 merely mischievous, and extremely fond of teasing, but 

 all in a good-natured way which seldom provokes the 

 serious anger of even the object of his attacks. To rush 

 with crest erect and wings outspread, at some peace- 

 ably-minded fowl, and chase her wildly round the 

 yard, spurring her all the while with little twinges of her 

 tail, seems to afford a Kagu the greatest possible pleasure, 

 while at other times he will play with a piece of paper 

 or dead leaf like the veriest kitten. Sometimes he 

 will thrust his bill into the ground, spread his wings, 

 and kick his yellow legs convulsively in the air, as 

 though in the last agonies of a fit, and when some one, 

 attracted by the unusual sight, hastens to his assistance, 

 he promptly regains his equilibrum, and bowing gravely 

 to the sympathetic spectators, walks off with stately 

 mien and dignified gait as if in silent protest of the 

 whole proceeding. A Kagu finding his breakfast is a 

 decidedly entertaining sight. With his crest down, his 

 wings smooth and sleek, he paces demurely along until 

 he sights a likely spot, where, with becoming solemnity, 

 he proceeds to gently tap the ground until a worm, pro- 

 bably alarmed lest the tapping should herald the 

 approach of a mole, emerges at the surface to escape his 

 underground enemy. Then, hey presto ! the crest is 

 jerked up, wings shaken out, and with evident 

 approval the worm is swiftly swallowed. A few little 

 jerks of satisfaction, a general shake of crest and 

 feathers into their former sleekness, and with Puritan- 

 like gravity Mr. Kagu steps daintily off to fresh fields 

 and pastures new. Occasionally these comical birds 

 will lay aside all their antics, and will parade soberly up 

 and down their enclosure, bowing to their companions as 

 they pass with a grace and dignity worthy of Sir Charles 

 Grandeson, and with an air which seems to challenge 

 admiration and defy criticism. All things considered, it 

 it a matter of deep regret that a bird of such " infinite 

 parts " should have been so ruthlessly sacrificed to the 

 gourmands of its native land that it threatens to join the 

 Dodo and the Epiornis in the unhappily steadily-increas- 

 ing ranks of the extinct species. 



