27 



It is now perfectly clear that Hutton was right in referring the very large " foot of a Kiwi," 

 received some years ago from Collingwood, (on which Verreanx founded his Apteryx maximtis,) to 

 this species. 



Two eggs of this rare form were collected by Mr. Charles Robinson on the Heaphy Ranges, 

 on the west coast of the South Island. The larger of these, measuring 5'25 in. by 3*25 in., was 

 taken, in a perfectly fresh state, on the 20th December, with the female bird, under a grass 

 tussock. The male bird was found by the dog, also under a grass tussock, some distance away. 

 The other egg, which is about one-eighth of an inch shorter, was taken (with a single bird on 

 the nest) on the 26th January. It unfortunately got cracked through the struggles of the 

 captive bird, and was found to contain a well-advanced embryo. Both eggs were much soiled 

 by contact with the bird's feet, especially the one that had been long incubated ; but, on 

 being washed, they disclosed a shell of a pale greenish-white. In form they are broadly ovoido- 

 elliptical, the smaller one being almost a perfect ellipse. These unique specimens are now in the 

 Rothschild Museum, at Tring. 



I afterwards had an opportunity of examining another egg of this rare species, taken from a 

 Kiwi's underground nest in the Heaphy Ranges. It is broadly elliptical in shape, measuring 

 4'75 in. in length by 2'75 in. in breadth, and is of a pale greenish-white hue. It was obtained in 

 the early part of December, 1894, and was perfectly fresh. 



I have had for a long time in my possession some interesting notes supplied to me by a 

 collector whom I sent into the Heaphy Ranges, in the summer of 1892-3, specially in quest of 

 Apteryx liaasti. I have hitherto refrained from publishing these notes, from a desire to protect 

 this Kiwi from the professional bird-hunter ; although I fear such precautions are now of little 

 avail against the inroad into our fair country, through official instrumentality, of stoats, weasels, 

 and polecats. The last intelligence concerning the spread of these destructive animals is 

 contained in a letter lately received by me from Mr. H. C. Field, C.E., of Wanganui. He says : 

 " My son Charles — who for several years has been laying off and constructing roads for the 

 Government in the country between the Tongariro Range and the Upper Wanganui — informs me 

 that the weasels have become extremely numerous in the region where he has been working, and 

 are destroying the Wood-pigeons wholesale. He says that, as those birds roost low down, among 

 scrubby bush, the weasels climb up and attack them, — that in walking through the bush he has 

 constantly come across the remains of Pigeons lying on the ground, and that, on examining 

 those freshly killed, he found in every case that they had been bitten in the neck, so that the 

 blood might be sucked out, after which the body was left. This clearly indicates the weasel's 

 work. He tells me that, in consequence of this, the number of Pigeons in that region has very 

 perceptibly decreased during the last two or three years, and he believes that in a very few years 

 more the birds will be extinct thereabouts. He thinks that the weasels have come from the 

 Auckland side, as he has heard that some were turned out in the Waikato for the purpose of 

 destroying the rabbits. I am sure that my son's information about the killing of the Pigeons may 

 be thoroughly relied on. No doubt other birds are being destroyed also ; but the larger size and 

 more conspicuous colour of the Pigeon renders their remains more noticeable." If perching birds 

 surfer to this extent, how must it fare with Kakapos, Kiwis, and Wood-hens ? That all these 

 flightless species are doomed to rapid extinction goes without saying ; and every lover of natural 

 history will therefore learn with delight that, under the direction of the Otago Acclimatisation 

 Society, Resolution Island is now being stocked with all these vanishing forms, so that there is yet 

 a chance of a remnant being preserved for the naturalist of the future. The Little Barrier Island 

 having been taken over by the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, we may look for excellent 

 work there also. 



As the reason for suppressing the notes no longer exists, I have abstracted the following 



