The Parrots : The Kaka 
185 
that man can never fully comprehend—the joy of a creature 
utterly happy in its hour, with no ache, like man, of sorrow 
that clouds the past, with no sad foreknowledge, like man, of 
sorrow to come. The forest air was delightful; the sun 
shone warm; that was enough for the bird. Perhaps this kaka’s 
song was of freedom in the wilds, of sun and rain and wind, 
not consciously known, but felt, and their deliciousness finding 
a vent, as love, too, does in song, or joy of children in their 
play. Perhaps it was the song that, as they melt and blend, 
the sun shines, the water reflects, and the wind spreads every¬ 
where ; for light, like water, can wet the leaf till it shines as 
in a shower; for water can murmur in the tops like wind, and 
roar through the forests like a leaping sea; for wind can patter 
in great drops through the breathing greenery, or pour itself 
like a tide through the swaying boughs. 
The vocal powers of the kaka are by no means sufficiently 
appreciated. No bird in the woods, I believe, has more tender 
flute-like notes; nor can I imagine anything more joyous than 
the clear ringing ‘ V-wiia , u-wiici’ of the male bird’s cry when 
circling round about his nest.’ ’ I often wish I could share 
with Guthrie-Smith his power of expression;—but then; he 
knows so well. 
With the earliest streaks of dawn,” writes Puller, (BN, 
Vol. I., pp. 158-60) “and while the underwoods are still 
wrapped in darkness, the wild cry of this bird breaks upon 
ie ear with strange effect. It is the sound that wakes the 
weary traveller encamped in the bush; and the announcement 
otlu. s ever active Maori attendant, ‘ Kua tangi te kaka/ is an 
ev™ T that Jt 18 time t0 be astir . When the shades of 
aiu1 ‘ ff bnn f a deeper 8’ loom into the depths of the forest, 
molvlr are hUShed ’ SaVe the l0w h00t of the waking 
the if i i, ° r the oecaslonal (:he ep cheep of the startled robin 
to iK ? ,^ COmeS m ° re animated ; Tt may then he heard calling 
svllables 6 ‘T1 \ raSpmg note ’ something like the 
whistle , -tt !’ ChrUt ’ ° r indulghlg in a dear musical 
he i s wlf; f° rt refrahl . So long as he does not know 
n.d, he may be seen twisting and turning among the 
