1879. | A Sketch of New Zealand. 77 
mingled with the charred bones of men and dogs, in the ancient 
ovens — “ kitchen-middens ” — which have been recently dis- 
covered. The natives now living know nothing of these strange’ 
birds except the existence of their bones in the caves, etc. In 
their old traditions, however, which have been handed down 
through many generations, references to the Moa are found, con- 
taining instructions to the young hunter how to ensnare and slay 
them. 
In our wonder at the strangeness of these ancient creatures, 
we must not overlook the many smaller but extremely interesting 
birds now living in New Zealand. Many of these exhibita tendency 
towards the wingless condition that formed such a characteristic 
feature in the ancient fauna. Among the numerous parrots, one 
large green species, called by the natives the Kakopo, attracts our 
attention in this connection, as the muscles of its wings are but 
poorly developed and useless for flight. The rails also afford two 
or three species that are incapable of flight. One of these the 
Wika, or wodd-hen, is very common about the swamps and fern 
thickets. Another is the rare /Vofornis, of which but two indi- 
viduals are known. The Pukeko is another of the rails that 
shows by the short, rounded form of its wings a tendency towards 
the apterous condition. Besides these more curious and inter- 
esting birds, New Zealand possesses a considerable variety of 
smaller and often very beautiful species, few of them, however, 
of remarkable for the sweetness of their song. Among these 
the Tui, or “parson bird” is one of the most interesting ; its 
trivial name has reference to the two tufts of white feathers on 
the throat, which resemble the tie of the parson. The crooked- 
bill plover, which inhabits the North Island, furnishes the only 
instance known of a bird with its bill turned to one side; what 
useful purpose this strange curvature of the bill can serve is 
unknown. 
Since the colonization of New Zealand, a great number of 
plants and animals have been introduced from other countries; 
many of these have found in those islands a congenial home, and 
often seem better adapted to the surrounding conditions than 
some of the native species, which they are fast displacing. Much 
of the fauna and flora that is now so characteristic of New Zea- 
land is destined, like the Maoris themselves, to become exter- 
minated by the advance of European civilization. 
