99 
I had a live one in my possession for several months ; bnt it was so incessantly active in its 
mo^ements that I had the utmost difficulty in making a life-sketch of it. This bird was brought to 
Me in the early part of March, and the plumage was then old and faded ; but the seasonal moult had 
a leady commenced, and about the end of May it was in beautiful feather. On being turned loose in 
a room it ran swiftly from one corner to another seeking concealment, and occasionally stretched its 
body upwards in a very grotesque attitude, as if surveying its new quarters. It partook readily of 
cooked potato, and drank freely from a saucer of water, after which it stalked about the room in an 
inquisitive manner, and several times flew upwards to the window. It was afterwards placed in a 
wooden cage ; but it seemed very impatient of this restraint, and manifested remarkable perseverance 
in Its efforts to escape. It could be heard night and day tapping the bars with its slender bill as it 
wandered up and down its little prison, and it seemed never to relinquish for a single moment the 
hope of delivery from its unnatural bondage. Although always timid, it became sufficiently tame to 
take food from the hand ; and when in the act of feeding, especially if supplied with fresh meat or 
insects, it often expressed its satisfaction in a low chuckling note. It frequently thrust its head into 
the water-vessel, but never bathed itself. 
Long afterwards I had another captive “Land-Eail,” for which I was indebted to Mrs. Mountfort, of 
Feilding. Although shy before strangers, it had become familiar with the inmates of the household, 
taking food from the hand, &c. I observed that after every mouthful of food thus administered the 
biid would run to its trough and take a sip of water. It also exhibited the restless habit, already 
described, of running up and down in the front of its cage, trying each bar with its bill, as if en- 
deavouring to escape. I had this bird in my possession for about six months ; but owing to its 
being kept in a solitary part of the conservatory, it soon relapsed into wildness, and ultimately made 
such vigorous and persistent attempts to get through the cage that the top of its head became com- 
pletely abraded and so bruised and injured that the bird actually died. It was almost carnivorous, 
hut seemed to prefer fresh meat minced up to any other diet. 
In its wild state it loves to climb the kiekie [Freycinetia hanksii), which clings to the trunks of 
forest trees, and feed on its ripe tawliara. Indeed this particular bird was caught in the act, and 
secuied by the hand before it had time to escape. 
Another which was kept for some time in the Colonial Museum, shut up in the same cage with 
^ tuatara lizard, exhibited a like spirit of restlessness, in strange contrast with the sluggish movements 
bee^^* companion. In the centre of its capacious cage a large Asplenium bulhiferum had 
een planted, and when not prancing up and down its chamber, the bird appeared to spend its time 
gfeMg with its bill around the roots of this fern, thus affording an indication of its habits in the 
state, where grubs and earthworms no doubt contribute to its sustenance. 
of the Banded Rail, which are placed in a rude nest on the ground, are from four to 
len<>tVi*^™^^^' sometimes even more; they are of a very rounded form, measuring 1-5 inch in 
more ^ breadth, with a polished surface, and of a creamy-white colour, marked all over, but 
re conspicuously at the larger end, with rounded spots of chestnut-red. There are three specimens 
^ar^Lom^^ similar size, being exactly of the measurement given above. They 
^nd spmTnal^^^ ^ stone-colour with a pinkish tinge, spotted thickly at the larger end, 
fbe spots ^ surface, with reddish brown. In the finest coloured of these specimens 
times con^u distinct, varying from dark purple to reddish umber, thickly set and some- 
entirely absent larger end, scattered in the middle circumference of the egg, and almost 
colour, and not^^ second specimen the markings are not so distinct, of paler 
a few purplisti b^^ SGf at the larger end. The third, which has a white ground, presents only 
with the exce ti barkings at the larger end, the rest of the egg being almost entirely clear, 
P on of a few washed-out looking specks, which are widely scattered over the surface. 
0 2 
