324 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
WE are glad to hear that Mr. Henry B. Brady, F.R.S., the 
well-known authority on Foraminifera, who is now in Tahiti, 
purposes visiting New Zealand before returning to England. 
Mr. Brady, who is the brother of Professor G. S. Brady, of New- 
castle, one of the chief living authorities on Entomostraca, took 
up the study of the group with which his name will always be — 
associated, many years ago, and has produced a large number 
of original papers in the Philosophical Transactions, Annals and 
Magazine of Natural History, and other publications—some in 
conjunction with Dr. Carpenter and Professors W. K. Parker 
and Rupert Jones, others independently. It is to be hoped that 
Mr. Brady will remain here long enough to make a special study 
of the New Zealand Foraminifera, which up to the present time 
have never even been systematically collected. 
THE KAKAPO AS A DOMESTIC PET. — The following 
extract from a private letter is of interest :—“ You ask how my 
kakapo is getting on. I have much pleasure in giving you some 
account of his habits. Major—as we call him—isa very intelligent 
fellow; but he has a most variable temper, being sometimes 
playful and frolicsome, and at other times taciturn and disagree- 
able. When in the latter state he rules the roost, biting and 
scratching anyone who goes near him, and chasing the children, 
fowls, dogs and cats out of his premises. These fits of bad 
temper seldom last long, however. When he is in good humour 
we can do anything we like to him. He is very fond of my dog 
‘Hector’ (a large Irish retriever), and I have often found him in 
the kennel asleep on the top of his friend. When sleeping he 
does not sit upright, like most birds, but lies flat on his side, 
with his legs stretched out, wings relaxed, and his head either 
under his body or tucked between his legs. In this position he 
looks more dead than alive, and, in fact, the first time I saw him 
asleep I thought he was dead. He has a great aversion to cats, 
and bites them whenever he gets a chance. The fowls don’t 
like him, for he plays too rough-and-tumble a game for them, 
making the feathers fly when he gets a hold of them. Some- 
times he manages to get out of the yard, and takes a run among 
' the flax bushes. If this happens in the day time, it is of no use 
trying to get him in. But as soon as dusk sets in, if we call 
him by name, or rattle a spoon on a plate, he will come at once, 
grunting like a little pig. I do not keep him caged or tied up, 
but let him have the run of the back-yard, which is close fenced. 
I have also cut a hole in the base-board of the house, so that he 
can run about under the house, and keep himself comfortable. 
“About twomonths ago! brought homea small female kakapo 
as a mate for ‘ Major,’ and also in the hope that I may be able 
to breed these birds in captivity, which would be very interest- 
ing. The last bird, although an old one, is now quite tame, and 
comes into the kitchen along with ‘Major’ for its food. It 
shows no fear, and allows itself to be picked up and stroked. 
