29 



are no wild cattle or pigs. Nor did we meet with any rats, with the exception of one feeding on konini 

 berries. Plenty of Wood-hens, and eels in the river. 



Jan. 3rd. Tramped twelve miles along the track back to Karamea, to fetch provisions. Very tired, and 

 went to sleep at nine o'clock without any supper. 



Jan. 4th. Beached Karamea at night. 



Jan. 5th. Started back with provisions. The Heaphy flats are covered with splendid feed for cattle — 

 young karaka, koromiko, pekapeka, and tupakihi ; but very inaccessible. 



Jan. 6th. Camped at Nine-mile Creek. Bad weather. Dogs worked well, but no birds. 



Jan. 7th. Hunting again, but to no purpose. 



Jan. 8th and 9th. No birds. Caught four eels. 



Jan. 10th and 11th. Went three miles up Heaphy Biver. Got one Boa (Apteryx haasti). 



Jan. 12th. Got two large Boas and two chicks ; one of the latter was in a hole among the roots, the 

 other was running with the old birds. 



Jan. 13th and 14th. Shifted camp. No Kiwis. Heard a Kakapo for the first time. 



Jan. 15th. Bush very rough. Hunted all day, and got one Boa. On the ridges of the wooded ranges 

 we found more Petrels {Majaqueus parkinsoni) : always on the spurs facing the sea, and generally with an 

 open space in front of their burrow, so that they can get way on when commencing flight. 



Jan. 16th to 20th. Worked very hard and continuously with the dog. Added altogether three Grey 

 Kiwis and one Boa to the collection. 



Jan. 21st and 22nd. Very rough bush. Got three more Boas, all of which were found under over- 

 hanging shelters of limestone rocks. 



Jan. 23rd. One Boa, quite unhurt. Made a pen for it. 



Jan. 24th. Added two live Boas. They did not attempt to burrow. 



Most of the Boas obtained by me were found on the wooded spurs running into the valley of the Heaphy, 

 and particularly on the north side, with a sunny aspect. I heard a few on the southern side, but I never got 

 any there. We were now hunting at a place about five miles from the mouth of the Heaphy Biver, and 

 twenty-six miles from Karamea. There being no roads or tracks, and the vegetation being very dense, it was 

 hard work. 



Jan. 25th. Shifted camp to near mouth of river. Carried the live birds in canvas sacks with air-holes 

 cut in them. Found some young Kakas, but could not carry them. 



Jan. 26th. Got one Boa, and an egg, which unfortunately came to grief. It contained a nearly hatched 

 chick. I may here remark that only the breeding Boas were found in holes or hollow logs : all the others 

 were in rather exposed places. 



Jan. 27th to 31st. During the last five days we got six Boas, as the result of very active hunting. We 

 had now six live ones, and it took us all our spare time to dig worms for them. 



Feb. 1st. Shifted camp to Nine-mile Creek. 



Feb. 2nd. Got two Boas, and one very young one. Found a young Petrel, but it soon died. 



Feb. 3rd. Baining hard ; and as I found it difficult to look after the live birds and protect the specimens 

 from the weather at the same time, I closed the hunting campaign and started homewards, reaching 

 Wellington nine days later. 



On questioning Bobinson, I elicited one curious fact. On the western watershed of the 

 Heaphy Kange, wdiere, as a rule, Apteryx haasti alone is found, the loose ground is inhabited by 

 a very large earth-worm, on which this species principally feeds. On the eastern side, where the 

 small Grey Kiwi (Apteryx oweni) abounds, this large worm is not to be found, its place being sup- 

 plied by a very small earth-worm on which this bird seems exclusively to subsist. The summit 

 of the main range — for a tract about a mile in width — distinctly divides the range of one species 

 from that of the other. 



May not this remarkable difference in the natural food-supply have influenced the develop- 

 ment of these two closely allied species in divergent lines — the one being now distinguished by 

 its massive skeleton and robust proportions, and the other by its slender structure and generally 

 feeble development ? The general style of the plumage is the same in both, it being easy in a 



