Sydney Porter—Notes on New Zealand Birds 209


one for a guinea from a settler in Wellington, in whose possession

it had been for a whole year. Although an adult bird when taken,

it appeared to have become perfectly reconciled to confinement;

b.ut on being placed in a new cage it made strenuous assaults on

the wire bars, and persevered until the feathers surrounding its

beak were rubbed off and a raw wound exposed. It then desisted

for several days; but when the abraded part had fairly healed,

it renewed the attempt, and with such determined effort that the

fore part of the head was completely disfigured and the life of th©

bird endangered. On being removed, however, to a spacious

compartment of the aviary, it immediately became reconciled to

its condition, made no further effort to escape, and for a period

of fifteen months (when it came to an untimely end) it continued

to exhibit th© contentment and sprightliness of a bird in the state

of nature.


“ I observed that this bird was always most lively during or

immediately preceding a shower of rain. He often astonished

me with the power and variety of his notes. Commencing sometimes

with the loud strains of the Thrush, he would suddenly change

his song to a low flute-note of exquisite sweetness; and then

abruptly stopping would give vent to a loud rasping cry, as if

mimicking a pair of Australian Magpies confined in the same

aviary. During the early morning he emitted at intervals a short

flute-note and when alarmed or startled uttered a sharp repeated

whistle.


“ This caged bird was generally fed on dry pulse or grain,

but he also evinced a great liking for cooked potato and raw meat

of all kinds, in fact h© appeared to be omnivorous, readily

devouring earthworms, insects of all kinds, fruit, berries, green

herbs, etc. He was supplied daily with a dish of fresh water, and

was accustomed to bathe in it with evident delight. At one time

he occupied the same division of the aviary with a pair of

Australian King-doves which had commenced to breed. The doves

were allowed to bring up their first brood in peace, but when the

hen bird began to build a second time, she was closely watched by

the Piopio, and immediately the first egg was deposited he darted


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