NATURAL HISTORY. 
617 
a saying, that the ha, ha never alights on the maire tree ; one 
kind has a larger bill, this is called haha huripa : the one 
with a smaller one is called haha motaraua ; some hahas 
make their nests in the soft sand cliffs; these are lighter, 
the back and wings being of a dirty cream color, and the 
breast of a bright red, this may be the platycercus auriceps, 
or trichoglossus aurifrons , horaho, but the natives call it an 
albino. 
Kea, ( nestor notabilis,) frequents the alpine solitudes of the 
Middle Island, its plumage is red ; it only descends in severe 
winters. 
The mo&t remarkable bird of this family is the hahapo, or 
tarepo (strigops habroptilus J the night or owl parrot; it is 
nearly as large as a hen, of a light green and yellow color, 
banded with brown, with long black whiskers, frequents 
mountains and precipices, and though possessing wings sel- 
dom uses them, it is gregarious ; one generally keeps guard, 
and so carefully, that it can never be approached on the wind- 
ward side ; in appearance it resembles the owl ; the natives 
say, there are two kinds, one of which is as large as the hiwi ; 
it is extremely rare, and will be soon extinct in the North 
Island. I have only seen two caught there, it is very deli- 
cate eating, the flesh being white like that of a fowl ; this 
remarkable bird is more abundant in the Middle Island. 
The haharihi , or pouwaitere , (platycercus PacificusJ is a 
pretty light green paroquet, with a band of red or yellow over 
the upper beak and under the throat. This elegant little bird 
is about the size of a small thrush ; it flies very fast, and has a 
quick note : it is excellent eating; the one with red on the 
head is called haharihi matua ; the other with yellow, is called 
haharihi porere, they are different species. 
Fam. Cnculidce. — The hohoperoa, hawehawea , hoehoea , 
(endynamys taitensis). This is a bird of passage, one of the 
New Zealand cuckoos; it has along tail, of the same color as 
the sparrow-hawk, and altogether pot unlike it ; the body is 
short and thick, with short legs and strong claws. It is a sweet 
singing bird, but is only heard during the warmest months 
of the year, when it sings all the night. Its appearance is 
