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or fissures in the rocks. It breeds in these localities, and the nest has sometimes been taken from 
under a clump of tussock or from the shelter afforded by an overhanging stone on the slope of a 
wooded hill. The male, female, and young, described above, were all taken from one nest. 
All the specimens of this form in the Canterbury Museum were obtained on the western slope of 
the Southern Alps. The late Sir Julius von Haast collected upwards of fifty of them on that side, 
but never saw or even heard of one on the eastern side of the Alps. 
It is said to be excellent eating ; and the diggers’ pot is contributing, equally with the trade in 
specimens, to the rapid extirpation of the bird. The effect of such a statement as this on the mind of 
a true-hearted naturalist may be readily inferred from the following letter addressed by the late 
Mr. Blyth to the Editor of ‘The Ibis,’ in 1861:— “Some time ago I met a stranger who had been 
travelling in New Zealand. Of course I was curious about the Apteryx oweni ; and I showed hirn 
Gould’s figure of the bird, and tried to make him comprehend some notion of its value. ‘ Good,’ 
said he, ‘I know it well: we ate four of them in one pie!’ Alas for Apteryx oweni, as well as 
for the last remaining specimens of Dinornis or Palapteryx (if such there yet remain), to be put 
into a pie ! Gather your roses while you may, Mr. Editor, and collect your impennates before this 
pestilent civilization spoils and ruins every thing ! ” 
The Maoris, too, have a penchant for roast Kiwi ; and travelling parties, when passing through 
the districts which these birds frequent, as soon as they have fixed up their camp for the night, start 
off with their dogs to hunt for them, the Apteryx oweni, like its congeners, being strictly nocturnal in 
its habits. But it is in the North Island, where the Maori population is so much larpr, that the 
Kiwis, as well as other native birds, suffer most from this uncontrolled system of hunting. This is 
especially the case when the members of a tribe are preparing for one of their periodical feasts *, for 
it then becomes necessary to place every kind of “ fish, flesh, and fowl under contribution. 
The egg of this species is of a long elliptical form, measuring 4-3 inches in length by 2-4 in its 
widest part. It is originally white, but becomes much stained or soiled during incubation ; and some 
examples have the shell traversed with thread-like excrescences, especially at the larger end. A 
specimen from Martin’s Bay is an almost perfect ellipse, with a smooth, perfectly white, and rather 
glossy shell, and measures 4T inches in length by 2’6 in breadth. Another specimen in the 
Canterbury Museum is much stained and discoloured, but appears to have been originally white, with 
a finely granulate surface. At the larger end there are numerous irregularities on the shell, formed 
by limy excrescences ; one of these presents the appearance of a piece of twisted thread, being fully 
two inches in length. Another in the same collection has a great portion of its surface marked 
with scarcely perceptible oblique furrows or interruptions in the granulation of the shell. 
* The following is a newspaper account of one of these feasts, which took place at Parihaka in July 1881 : “ Monday 
being wet, all the natives kept close in their houses, but the weather clearing by next clay, although still cold and windy, amove 
was made, and all coUected on the meeting-square. There were then brought on Pigeons, Kakas, and Tiiis to the number of 
9400, besides three calabashes of Pigeons preserved in their own oil, two casks of preserved Mutton-birds from the Chatham 
Islands, 600 piharau or lampreys, and the usual pile of bread and boilers of tea. The birds were first distributed, one apiece to 
each man, woman, and child — even baby in arms ; after that another, as far as they went three Puis being given as an equi- 
valent to one Pigeon, or Kaka. After this the preserved birds were served round ; then the lampreys were scrambled for— 
there not being enough for distribution ; then the bread and tea was partaken of, and the feast concluded. Not many of the 
birds were consumed on the meeting-square, they being saved for a feast by the natives in their respective houses. Previous to 
the distribution, a long line of girls, gaily dressed, came in on each side of the square, each carrying a basket of taro and 
kumaras, or potatoes. These they placed on the heap of birds and retired. Tohu afterwards addressed the meeting, but his 
speech was unimportant. He referred to birds and eels being of old the food of chiefs, and greenstone their ornaments, which a 
‘ tutua ’ dare not wear ; neither dare he partake of their food ; but that at the present time all might partake and adorn them- 
selves, for all were equal in his eyes.” 
