Notes upon some Rare New Zealand Birds. 69 
careful observation I don’t think the female Apteryx grandis (haasti) sits on 
the egg at any time. When they pair, both birds keep in the same hole till 
the egg is laid. Whether the birds interchange places to hatch the first egg 
I was unable to learn. But after the chick is out, I think it goes with the 
female during the early part of the night to feed, but always stays in the 
same root (or mound), though not generally—rarely—in the same hole, as the 
male during the day. 
“The female always goes a great distance away, and, if alarmed, I am 
under the impression she tries to draw you away from the nest. On being 
alarmed, when the chick is in the vicinity, the male bird immediately makes 
a loud clapping noise with his beak and the young one starts (to run), and, 
whilst you secure the other, he generally escapes. 
“Tt is very cold where the birds are got, but they are in better plumage. 
The skins I have reserved are the best I have got. The feathers rub off as 
the birds run along, if they touch anything sharply, and, as they are powerful, 
and fight very fiercely, you can imagine how difficult it is to get good skins.” 
In a postscript he adds: “The male, female, and chick” (he probably 
means not when newly hatched) “all feed together during the early part of the 
evening, and perhaps during the night. When I have been very late 
getting to camp—as late as midnight—I have heard the three, and always 
hear the female. The call of the large (old) birds, females, is like 
distant thunder. I do not think the female sits, as I always got male on 
egg.” 
Again, writing on 10th February 1896, when sending off some of the skins 
and other remains collected, he says: “I have returned from my trip 
(collecting), during which I had such untoward weather that I was consider- 
ably longer than I expected. The first two birds Apteryx haasti (grandis) 
I got, I had a difficulty in getting out (of their hole); the birds striking, tore 
both my hands severely, so that I could not use arsenical soap or any 
poisonous preparation, and my man I had with me was no use for anything 
of the kind. Im fact, after I had skeletons cleaned, he destroyed several, 
not seeing any use for them. My man I usually have was unable to 
accompany me. 
“The large female skin is the finest skin I have got. The egg of this 
bird was one of those broken last year, and was considerably larger than the 
egg now sent, whilst others were smaller. The egg of Apteryx haasti 
(grandis) I send you is the only one I got; one of the largest males I have 
obtained was sitting upon it, but the skin was lost through my being unable 
to preserve as above described. 
“From the appearance of the nest I should think it had been used twice 
