164 
mixed with fragments of dry rata-bark, evidently collected by the birds and brought into the cavity. 
The natives state that two females, attended by one male bird, sometimes breed in the same cavity, 
their nests being placed side by side. The fact that during the breeding-season three birds are 
frequently seen in company, appears to give some colour of truth to this statement. 
Mr. Enys informs me that, on Sir Charles Clifford’s station at Stonyhurst, he found two nests of 
the Kaka, one of them situated in the crevice of a rock in a low mountain-gully, and the other in a 
deep cavity under the roots of a tree. This was on the 24th of December ; and both nests contained 
young birds. 
An egg of this species received from Reischck is much soiled on the surface, being more or less 
of a dark brown colour, as if stained by contact with decayed wood or some other colouring-matter. 
It was taken (late in December) from a hollow pukatea tree in the central part of the Little Barrier, 
just below the high pinnacle of rocks so distinctly visible at sea. The nest contained four eggs, all 
of which, as my correspondent assures me, were stained in a similar manner. 
An egg from Dusky Sound yields somewhat larger measurements than those given above, is 
creamy white in colour, and marked with extremely fine points, making the surface almost granulate; 
but these may be regarded as mere individual variations. It was taken on the 13th April, from a 
tree-hole, in which a soft nest had been formed by means of pulverized rotten wood and feathers, 
apparently plucked from the bird’s own breast. Besides this egg there were three young birds in 
the nest, and the mother, who remained in possession, defended her offspring in a very plucky manner. 
A nest of four eggs in my son’s collection presents this difference, that all of them are slightly 
larger than ordinary examples, measuring L7 inch in length by L25 m breadth. They were 
evidently freshly laid when taken, the surface being beautifully white. 
Besides Nestor meridionalis, there is another very distinct species (N. notahilis ) inhabiting New 
Zealand, a full account of which will follow next in order. But, in addition to these, there recently 
existed on Phillip Island a closely allied form ( Nestor productus) which is now extinct, although many 
specimens of it are preserved in public and private museums in this country. Another (A. norfolc- 
ensis), formerly inhabiting Norfolk Island, although recognized by Dr. Finsch as a distinct species*, 
was probably only a local variety of this highly variable form. These are the only known representa- 
tives of the genus Nestor f . 
* N producto similis ; at pileo et cervice viridibus ; dorso ac teetricibus alarum olivaceo-viridibus, liorum maculis apicalibus 
ni"ris trian^ulis ; genis flavis ; pectorc abdomineque superiore ocbraceis, unicoloribus ; rostro insigniter longo, introrsum curvato. 
t The following “ Note on the Tongue of the Psittaeine genus Nestor ” was communicated to the Zoological Society by the 
late Prof Garrod F It. S. : “ On the death of a specimen of Nestor hypopolius in the Society’s Gardens, a short time ago, Mr. Scdater 
kindly directed my attention to the peculiarity of its tongue, and referred me to Dr. Finsch’s work on the Parrots, where Nestor 
is placed among the Trichoglossince, though the author states that he is not possessed of any very precise information on e su ject 
“ Mr. Gould, in his « Birds of Australia ’ (vol. v. pi. vi.), partly describes the tongue of this bird, and show's that it is not 
that of a Lory ; but he has omitted to notice its chief peculiarity. 
« Dr. Buller, in the recently published 1st part of his ‘ Birds of New Zealand ’ [1st edit.], has also described the tongue quite 
correctly, though not much in detail— but nevertheless places Nestor close to the Lories, mentioning that this affinity was first 
shown by MM. Blanchard and Pekeln. As, however, the tongue of Nestor does not in reality resemble that of the Tnchoglossi 
at all it may be of interest to describe it more fully. 
« As far as I have had opportunity of observing, in all Parrots the fleshy tongue ends anteriorly by a dilated portion, 
supported on a narrower neck. This tip is much like the end of a human finger, as mentioned by most observers : and its 
function is similar also ; for it is employed by the bird as a third prehensile organ in connexion with the upper and lower beak, 
any solid substance being held by the tongue and upper beak, while the mandible is freed to give another bite. Continuing the 
