no 
As will appear further on, the Woodhens inhabiting the South Island belong to several totally 
distinct species, although closely resembling the present one both in form and habits of life. Now it is 
a curious fact that while all the southern species are remarkably bold and fearless (so tame, indeed, as 
to visit the farmer’s yard, and sometimes even to enter the house), the northern bird is naturally shy 
and recluse — a development of character which Sir James Hector attributes to its “ greater experience 
of the treachery of man,” the North Island having always possessed a large Maori population. So 
shy, indeed, is the latter species, that, notwithstanding its loud shrill cry, it is quite impossible to find 
it without the aid of a good dog. 
I have on several occasions kept caged Woodhens for a considerable time ; but, although I 
persevered in one instance for more than two years, I could never succeed in completely domesticating 
them. I was thus afibrded, however, an opportunity of studying their character, which may be 
summed up in two words — pugnacious and gluttonous. The introduction of a piece of red cloth, or 
other brightly coloured object, was generally sufficient to excite the bird and make its feathers rise ; 
but the presence of another Weka, whether male or female, would instantly provoke a display of 
hostility, and after some light skirmishing a fight would ensue, which generally, in the end, proved 
fatal to the intruder. On one occasion I introduced into the cage a small mirror, and watched the 
effect ; ruffling its feathers and stretching out its neck, the Weka advanced slowly towards the glass, 
and then made a sudden dash at its supposed adversary, and continued to repeat the attack with so 
much passion and violence, that I thought it prudent to remove the exciting object, to save the bird 
from injuring itself. On the charge of gluttony I may say that not only were my captives omnivorous, 
devouring fish, flesh, and fowl, whether cooked or raw, boiled potato and other vegetables, green 
fruit, and, in short, every thing within the digestive power of the gizzard, but they also had a most 
inordinate and voracious appetite. As a proof of this, I may state, by reference to my note-book, 
that a single bird in the course of two months consumed nearly a hundredweight of cooked potatoes ! 
In a wild state it subsists on berries of various kinds, with earthworms, grasshoppers, and other insects, 
while it never loses an opportunity of entombing in its capacious stomach a mouse or lizard. In the 
South Island Sir James Hector has observed the Woodhens attacking full-grown rats, and Sir Julius 
Haast has frequently seen them capture and devour small birds. That they are given to plundering 
the nests of other birds that build on the ground, devouring alike the eggs and young, is now a well- 
known fact ; and on this account Sir George Grey has found good reason to regret his too successful 
attempt to stock his beautiful island-home at Kawau with Woodhens from the mainland ! Even 
here this doomed species will now no longer find an asylum. 
In the daytime it moves about under thick cover with a stealthy gait, and continually flirts its 
tail upwards after the manner of the true Eails. The tail-feathers are of peculiar texture, having 
stiff shafts with loose disunited barbs ; and in some specimens the shafts are found denuded at the 
tips for the space of nearly an inch. In skinning this bird, one is struck with the extraordinary 
development of the tibial muscles as compared with the humeral, betokening at once the habits of 
life already described. The skin is very tough, and adheres firmly to the body, especially on the 
thighs. There is another circumstance worth mentioning — namely that some Wekas have a strong 
inherent odour, which communicates itself to the hand if rubbed along the plumage, and does not 
entirely leave the dried skin, while others are wholly free from it. It is not dependent on sex, nor 
is it peculiar to any season of the year ; but where it does exist, it differs perceptibly in degree in 
different examples. Possibly this may result from the long-continued occupation of a burrow rendered 
foul by the omnivorous habits of the bird. 
It commences to breed early in September ; for on the 30th of that month I saw a fine Weka 
chick at Archdeacon Hadfield’s house, at Otaki, and another at Wanganui some days earlier. 
The sharp whistling cry of the Woodhen is a familiar sound to the benighted traveller as he 
