127 
and absent from Portugal, although occurring in the Azores. It is likewise rare in Malta, though 
tolerably common during the w'inter season in Sicily and Sardinia; and scarce again in Northein Italy. 
In Transylvania it is found on migration ; but it breeds in the marshes of Hungary and in the 
countries skirting the Danube. It is met with rarely in Southern Germany and in Poland , but is 
common in parts of Russia, particularly in the southern districts. Passing westward, it is rare in 
France and has only once been killed in the Netherlands. It strays still further north into Scandi- 
navia and has often occurred as a straggler to Great Britain. In parts of the continent of Africa it 
is abundant, particularly in the north-east, being very plentiful in Lower Egypt, where it breeds in 
the Nile delta. In Abyssinia it winters, frequenting the Blue and White Nile, and ranging into the 
highlands to an altitude of 10,000 feet. Canon Tristram met with it in small flocks in various parts 
of Algeria, and found it wintering in the Sahara. Down the east coast it has been observed at 
Mozambique and Natal; Layard met wdth it in South Africa, and Newton at Madagascar. Westw'ard, 
again, it has been recorded from Damara I^and, Benguela, and the Gold Coast. 
I have already mentioned that in this species the bill does not undergo any change in the 
breeding-season, being yellow all the year round. In confirmation of this I may quote a letter which 
I have received from IMr. J. "NF. Hall, of the Thames, who had a captive one for a consideiable 
time. He wHtes : — “ As regards the bill of the Kotuku, I observed no seasonal change. The 
colour was pale yellow, black tow'ards the tip. A remarkable peculiarity was that the mandibles do 
not quite close except at the tip. This peculiarity was verified after death ; indeed when seated on 
the branch of a tree, in exactly the right position, you could see right through the slit or opening, 
which was not wider than sufficient to admit a very thin sixpence. You wfill no doubt have observed 
that the eye is not set in a line, or parallel with the bill, but at an obtuse angle, perhaps about 70°. 
“ My Kotuku at first used to roost on a box in an outhouse ; but, after a fight with a hen wfith 
chickens that was running in the same garden (or wilderness), took to sleeping about 20 feet up a 
karaka tree, to attain Avhich elevation it made use of some passion-flow^er vines that were growing up 
the karaka tree, as one of its wings had been cropped to prevent escape. Its actions while ascending 
this natural ladder were not very graceful. During sleeping hours it W’as completely hidden among 
the boughs, but in the early morning, especially after a frost, it would come out to the extreme edge 
of the boughs and sun itself for hours. When the long filamentous dorsal plumes were fully or 
partially erected it was a really beautiful sight ; for though a female it had a very fine train. During 
its fights wfith the brood hen the Kotuku w^ould throw itself nearly on its back and dart out its long 
bill with such vigour that it seldom came off second best. It rarely came down to breakfast, which 
was put into a large crock of clean water, till the morning was well advanced, and, to my surprise, 
seemed to prefer beef, or sheep’s liver, to fish.” 
The beautiful snow-white plumes from the back of this bird have always been greatly prized by 
the Maoris, for the personal adornment of both the living and the dead, and their ancient poetry 
abounds in references to this valued taonga *. 
* Take, for example, the pathetic 
p. 162 
Tera te haeata, hapai ana mai, 
ile he mea ko te tan, 
Teuoi ka ora mai ; 
E Hia’ rongo niii, 
Ki te taha o te rangi, 
Ka whati ra e, 
Te tara o te marama 
Taku ate hoki ra, 
Taku piki Kotuku. 
lament for Te Hiakai, as given in Sir George Grey’s ‘ Poetry of the New Zealanders,’ 
Tena te kakahi, 
Ka tere ki to tonga, 
I whiuwbiua koe, 
Te hau ki a Tu. 
Mei ona ahua, 
Te hoki ki muri ra, 
Kei whea to patu ? 
E hoka i te rangi, 
Hei patu whakatipi, 
Ki mua ki te upoko. 
Ki te kawe a riri. 
Whakahaerca ra, 
Kia rato nga iwi 
Kia kite Taupo, 
Kia kite Eotorua. 
Kia werohia koe, 
Ki te manu kai miro, 
I runga o Titi, 
Hoki mai e Pa, 
Ki te waka ka tirkoki. 
Waiho ki rouri nci, 
Ka ru te whonua, 
Ka timu nga tai, 
I roto lYaikato. 
Taku koara, 
Te uira i te rangi, 
Whakahoki rua ana, 
Na runga o Hakari, 
Ko te tohu 0 to mate na, i. 
