STRIGOPS HABROPTILUS, Gi.

Kakapo.

R. Gray.

Strigops habroptilus, G. R. Gray, in Gray and Mitchell’s Genera of Birds, vol. ii. p
of Zool. Soc., part xv. p. 50.—G. R. Gray in Ibid. p. 61.—Ly
Aves, pl. xlvi. fig. 3, ege.

427. pl. cv.—Strange in Proc.
all in Proc. of Zool. Soc., PaOntExceno mse

I nave no hesitation in giving a figure of this extraordinary Night Parrot in the Supplement to my work on

otornis and other remarkable birds from
New Zealand, the native country of the Kakapo, have already appeared in its pages.

the ‘‘ Birds of Australia,” since the two species of Apteryx, the A

Long before 1845, when a skin of this bird was for the first time sent to Europe, we had conclusive
evidence of the existence of the species, from the circumstance of plumes made of its feathers being
worn by the Maories. It is somewhat strange, however, that such a lengthened period should fete
elapsed after the discovery and possession of New Zealand before so singular a bird should have found
its way to Europe. At no very distant date it doubtless inhabited alike all the islands of the New Zealand
group; but it probably no longer exists in the northern island, its extirpation from whence being doubtless
attributable to a variety of causes: it is that portion of the country in which the natives have always
chiefly resided, and the introduction since the visit of the celebrated navigator Cook, of the Pig, the Dog,
the Cat, and that universal pest the brown or Norway Rat, has doubtless tended greatly to produce such a
result; for the three latter having now become wild, we may reasonably infer that they have played no
inconsiderable part in the destruction, not only of this comparatively helpless bird, but of many others ;
the time is probably not far distant when these marauders will obtain a footing in the middle and southern
islands, the result of which may be anticipated by what has already occurred.

I have always entertained the opinion that the present bird, the Mocornis, the Apteryx, the Neomorpha
and the Nestor are only remnants of a bird fauna of a very distant period now all but extinct; a
fauna in my opinion peculiar to New Zealand, Norfolk Island and other adjoining islets, which themselves
are probably the remains of a submerged continent, for it can scarcely be imagined that the huge Dinornis,
Palapteryx and other allied genera were formed to dwell on islands so small as those in which their remains
are now found.

The first published account of this singular bird is that given by Dr. Lyall, R.N. in the Part of the
“Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London” above referred to, and which I beg leave to transcribe:

“Although the Aakapo is said to be still found occasionally on some parts of the Ing mountains in the
interior of the north island of New Zealand, the only place where we met with it, during our ee
tion and exploration of the coasts of the islands in H.M.S. Acheron, was at the a end! of ae middle
island. There, in the deep sounds which intersect that part of the island, it is still found in foueulovelile
numbers, inhabiting the dry spurs of hills or flats near the banks of rivers, where the trees are high, and
the forest comparatively free from fern or underwood. Be

“The first place where it was obtained was on a hill nearly 4000 feet above the level of the sea. It was

” a ilies eae aa sea. In these places its
also found living in communities on flats near the mouths of rivers close to the sea ple

1 ‘ ‘ aving us at first to imagine that there
tracts were to be seen resembling footpaths made by man, and leaving us at ag
The tracks are about a foot wide, regularly pressed down

must be natives in the neighbourhood.
| oss each other usually at

Z ‘ : a : ss oR
to the edges, which are two or three inches deep amongst the moss, and ¢
right angles.

4 eet laces lige ee ace Se ‘asionally found under shelving rocks.
“The Aakapo lives in holes under the roots of trees, and 1s also occi aly

ay ES) Wa Ue

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