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I cannot better illustrate the habits of this bird under confinement than by giving the following 
extracts from a notebook containing the record of my own observations from time to time. The first 
entry relates to a fine bird brought to me by a native from Ranana, who stated that he had taken it 
from a small natural cavity on the slope of the Mairehau hill, some fifty miles up the Wanganui 
river. 
“Oct. 1866. One of the inmates of my aviary at present is an adult female Kiwi, only recently 
captured. During the day it retires into a small dark chamber, where it remains coiled up in the 
form of a ball — and if disturbed or dislodged, moves drowsily about, and seeks the darkest corner of 
its prison, when it immediately rolls itself again into an attitude of repose. It appears to be blinded 
by the strong glare of sunlight ; and although it recovers itself in the shade, it can then only detect 
objects that are near. Night is the time of its activity; and the whole nature of the bird then 
undergoes a change : coming forth from its diurnal retreat full ot animation, it moves about the 
aviary unceasingly, tapping the walls with its long slender bill, and probing the ground in search of 
earthworms. The feeding of this bird at night with the large glow-worm (‘ toke-tipa’ of the natives) 
is a very interesting sight. This annelid, which often attains a length of 12, and sometimes 20 inches, 
with a proportionate thickness, emits at night a bright phosphoric light. The mucous matter which 
adheres to its body appears to be charged with the phosphorus ; and on its being disturbed or irritated 
the whole surface of the worm is illumined with a bright green light, sufiiciently strong to render 
adjacent objects distinctly visible. Seizing one of these large worms in its long mandibles, the Kiwi 
proceeds to kill it by striking it rapidly on the ground or against some hard object. During this 
operation the bird maybe clearly seen under the phosphoric light; and the slime which attaches 
itself to the hill and head renders these parts highly phosphorescent, so that, even after the luminous 
body itself has been swallowed, the actions of the bird are still visible. Thei'e is no longer the slow 
and half stupid movement of the head and neck ; but the bill is darted forward with a restless activity, 
and travels over the surface of the ground with a continued sniffing sound, as if the bird were guided 
more by scent than by sight in its search for food.” 
The subject of this notice having afterwards died, I sent the skeleton (skilfully prepared by the 
late Dr. Knox) to Professor Newton, of Cambridge ; and it still occupies a place of honour in the 
Universitv Museum. 
The next entry in my notebook refers to a purchase of eight from the Upper Wanganui natives 
in October 1870 : — “ The lot consists of two adult males, one young male, three adult females, and 
two young birds of doubtful sex. One of the females has the plumage very much faded and worn, 
resembling somewhat that of the Australian Emu, the tips of the feathers having, as it were, a 
weather-beaten appearance. The old birds are shy, always attempting to hide themselves from view, 
but very vicious when taken hold of : they struggle violently and utter a low growling note, accompanied 
by a vigorous striking movement of the feet. The young birds are particularly savage, and instead of 
running away they charge you in the most plucky manner, using their feet as weapons of offence : 
when provoked they manifest their anger by an audible snapping of the bill ; and at other times they 
emit a peculiar chuckle, not unlike that of a brood-hen when disturbed on her nest. I have only once 
heard these captives produce the loud whistling cry which is so familiar to the ear in the wild mountain- 
haunts of the Kiwi. The birds occupy at present an empty stall in my stable, and they find both conceal- 
ment andAvarmth by burying themselves in aheap of loose straw. During the day they remain coiled 
up in the form of an almost perfectly round ball, with the head and bill hidden beneath the dense hair- 
like plumage of the body. If hungry, however, they will sometimes wander about in a desultory 
manner, probing or touching ev'ery object with their bills. They often huddle together when at rest, 
lying one upon another like little pigs ; and when sound asleep no amount of noise will rouse them, 
On being thrust with a stick, or rudely wakened, they move about in a drowsy inert manner, and soon 
