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over which its tail projected. It is comparatively easy to capture it on the wing by a dexterous 
use of a strong insect-net. When caught, it manifests its anger by a repeated clicking of the 
mandibles, while it dexterously uses its beak and talons in its appeals for liberation. The ordinary 
call of this Owl at night consists of two notes uttered with vigour, and having a fanciful resemblance 
to the words “ more pork,” from which it derives its popular name. These notes are repeated at 
regular intervals of from eight to ten seconds, as I have ascertained by timing the performance with 
my watch. Sometimes the bird breaks off at the end of half an hour, probably to go in quest of 
food ; at other times he keeps up this hooting for a couple of hours or more continuously, especially on 
clear nights. Besides this cry it has a peculiar call of ke-e-e-o ke-e-e-o, repeated several times ; and 
when disturbed or excited a scream, which is not unlike the alarm-cry of the Australian liosehill 
Parrakeet ( Platycercus eximius), but louder and more shrill. At dusk also, before leaving its retreat, 
it utters a low croaking note, quickly repeated, which is responded to by the othei Owls within 
hearing. This note resembles the syllables kou-kou, uttered from the chest ; and among the noithern 
tribes the bird is usually called by a name resembling that cry. It is, however, more generally 
known as the “ Ruru,” and in some districts as the “ Peho *. 
At night two rival males may be heard answering each other from neighbouring woods, or, as 
Longfellow expresses it, 
“ Talking in their native language, 
Talking, scolding at each other.” 
Although habitually nocturnal I have occasionally seen it abroad in the daytime, but only 
during very dull weather. On the occasion of my last visit to Auckland, about 5 o’clock one after- 
noon, & I observed a Morepork, in broad daylight, sail across the public highway, in the very midst of 
the busy traffic, and take refuge in some trees in the old College grounds, in a spot where (although it 
no longer forms part of the school enclosure) thirty years before I had played cricket and football 
with the friends of my youth. A few evenings later I heard another screaming among the chimney- 
tops in Shortland Crescent, in the very heart of the city— facts showing conclusively, I think, that 
this species has not been much affected by the spread of civilization in its native country. 
Although naturally very fierce, I have known at least one instance of its becoming quite tame 
in confinement and taking food from the hand of its keeper. 
It nidificates, as a rule, in hollow trees ; but in the Mackenzie country, where there is little or 
no timber, nests have been found under the shelter of loose boulders. The young leave the nest about 
the beginning of January, and may be heard during every night of that month uttering a peculiar, 
sibilant, snoring sound, sometimes sufficiently sharp to resemble the stridulous song of the native 
cricket. But the breeding is occasionally delayed to a much later period of the year ; for I have 
heard young Owls in the woods at Palmerston North on the 6th March, and on one occasion, at the 
North Shore (Auckland), I both heard and saw a young bird so late as the 11th of April. On the 
other hand, there are sometimes very early broods ; for the downy nestling, of which a figure is given 
on the opposite page (and which is now in my collection), was taken from the cavity of a tree near 
Dunedin in the month of November. 
Mr. J. D. Enys writes to me that he met with a nest of the Morepork at the Ohunga river, 
containing three eggs; and I have a similar report from Mr. W. Eraser, who found a nest in a hollow 
puriri (Vitex litoralis ), containing three young birds. The Owls continued to breed there for three 
successive seasons. Captain Mair found a nest of this species in the hollow of a diy hinau tree 
* According to Maori legend, this bird was one of the first winged inhabitants of New Zealand “ He kopara te manu nana 
i noho tuatahi te puhi o te rakau ; he ruru to te po ; no muri nga manu nunui i noho ai ki te motu, te kaka me te kereru, me nga 
manu katoa.” 
