Order PSITTACL] 
[Fam. STRINGOPHGE. 
STEINGOPS HABEOPTILUS. 
(OWL PARROT.) 
Strigops habroptilus, Gray, P. Z. S. 1847, p. 62. 
Strigopsis habroptilus, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 8 (1850). 
Stringops habroptilus, Van der Hoeven, Handb. Zool. ii. p. 466 (1856). 
Stringopsis habroptilus, Schl. Mus. Pays-Bas, Psittaci, p. 107 (1864). 
Stringops habroptilus , Finscli, Papag. i. p. 246 (1867). 
Varieties. 
Strigops greyii, Gray, Ibis, 1862, p. 280. 
Stringops greyi , Finsch, Papag. i. p. 253 (186/). 
Native names. 
Kakapo, Tarapo, and Tarepo ; “ Ground-Parrot ” of the colonists. 
Ad. viridis : plumis pilei dorsique medialiter pallide flavidis, irregulariter nigricanti-brunneo transfasciatis et trans- 
vermiculatis: uropygii plumis hetius viridescentibus : loris plumisque rictum obtectentibus pallide fulvescenti- 
brunneis, medialiter albicantibus : regione auriculari brunnea, racbidibus plumarum fulvescentibus : facie 
laterali brunnea, plumis medialiter late flavicantibus : remigibus nigricanti-brunneis, primariis extus etintus 
flavicante maculatis, secundariis irregulariter flavido fasciatim variis et extus olivascenti-viridi lavatis : cauda 
olivascenti-brunnea, ubique nigricante fasciolata : subtus magis flavicans, viridi lavatus, abdomine purius 
flavicante : pectoris plumis paullo nigricante variis, hypochondriis magis conspicue fasciatis : subalaribus 
olivascenti-flavis, obscure brunneo fasciatis : subalaribus flavicantibus, minoribus nigro variis : rostro 
flavicanti-albido, ad basin saturatiore : pedibus flavicanti-brunneis, unguibus saturatioribus. 
Adult. General colour of the upper surface dark sap-green, brighter on the wings and lower part of back, and 
largely varied with dark brown and yellow ; on their under surface the feathers of these parts are light 
verditer-green towards the tip, with a fine metallic lustre; on the crown and nape the centre of each feather 
is blackish brown, with a narrow shaft-line of dirty yellow and a broad terminal band of dull green ; on the 
back, rump, and upper surface of the wings, each feather is silvery brown at the base, pale lemon-yellow 
beyond, changing to sap-green on the sides and towards the tip, and crossed by numerous broken bars and 
vermiculations of dark brown ; on the anterior portion of the back these bars are regular and distinct, but 
on the other parts they are interrupted by a broad shaft-line of lemon-yellow. These details of colouring, 
however, can only be observed when the plumage is disturbed, the general effect on the surface being as 
already described. The feathers at the base of the upper mandible, lores, sides of face, and feathers pro- 
jecting over the lower mandible dull yellowish brown, with darker filaments ; ear-coverts darker brown, 
mixed with yellow ; fore neck, breast, and sides of the body yellowish sap-green, varied with pale yellow and 
brown, the distribution of colouring on each individual feather being the same as on the upper parts, but 
with more yellow down the shaft ; lower part of abdomen, thighs, and under tail-coverts light greenish 
yellow, the longer coverts obscurely barred with light brown ; lining of wings pale lemon-yellow, blotched 
and streaked with dark brown ; primaries dark brown, largely toothed on their outer webs with dull lemon- 
yellow, and on their inner with paler; secondaries and their coverts dull greenish yellow, rayed and freckled 
with dark brown on the outer webs ; dusky brown on the inner webs, with broken transverse markings of 
lemon-yellow; tail-feathers yellowish brown, with arrow-shaped markings along the shaft, and largely 
