For the same reason that the Owls and the Falcons are grouped as distinct
families, we shall consider the KAKAPO, or NIGHT-PARROT OF NEW ZEALAND
(_Strigops habroptilus_) as the type of a peculiar race. This bird,
indeed, reminds us so forcibly of the Owls, that were it not for the
structure of the foot, we should decidedly class it as one of them. Its
scientific name of "owl-faced" (_Strigops_) is very well chosen. The
large body of this species is covered with soft, delicate feathers,
which form a rudimentary veil about the face; the wings are short and
trough-shaped; the tail long and rounded; the beak long, bent like that
of an owl, and nearly covered with stiff, bristle-like feathers; the
feet are of middle size, the toes long. The general colour is a dark
green, interspersed with tolerably regular stripes, and some irregular
yellow spots; upon the breast the colour is lighter and yellower than on
the back, and the stripes are indistinct; the green tail is banded with
dark brown. The habitat of the Kakapo is restricted to New Zealand, and
the species is now found in tolerable abundance only in the most remote
Alpine valleys of the southern island. It has been nearly exterminated
in the northern portion. Lyall and Haast have given us full particulars
of its habits. "The Kakapo," says the first of these writers, "is still
found occasionally in the northern districts of New Zealand, frequenting
the dry cliffs or the low grounds near the banks of the rivers, where the
high trees and woods are, to some extent, free from ferns and brushwood.
The first time we met with it was upon some hills, rising 4,000 feet
above the level of the sea; but we afterwards found it living with others
of the same species, on open spots near the mouth of the river, and not
far from the coast." "Most striking," adds Haast, "is the fact that the
Kakapo (except in the valley of the Makavora, formed by the Lake Wanaka)
is never seen east of the mountains, although forests abound there;
apparently the absence of woodland in the intervening district is an
obstacle to its farther progress in that direction. These birds are less
numerous in the Wilkin valley, where I have observed traces of the wild
dog; in the valley of the Hunter, which is only separated from these
districts by a chain of not very high mountains and some inconsiderable
hills, no trace of them is to be found, although the fine beech forests
offer them a favourable retreat." "In such places," says Lyall, "the
tracks of the Kakapo were visible; these are about a foot wide, very
regularly worn, and often resemble in so striking a manner those made by
men, that at first we really believed that the natives must have been in
the neighbourhood. The Kakapo lives in holes under the roots of trees,
and in the cavities of overhanging rocks."
Lyall tells us that the holes he saw had two openings, and the trees
above them were for some distance hollow. The Kakapo, he says, was not
visible by day, except when driven from its retreat; and he was never
able to find it but with the help of dogs. When these birds were more
plentiful, the natives used to catch them at night by torch-light.
There is a breed of half-wild dogs in the northern part of this island
continually hunting the Kakapos, which, indeed, they have almost
exterminated. It is said that the spread of these dogs is arrested by a
river; but it is to be feared that so soon as they succeed in crossing
that barrier, the total extinction of these birds will ensue; for
although they use their beak and claws very energetically, and can make
a powerful resistance, still, sooner or later, they must succumb to
their four-footed enemy, and ultimately share the fate of the MOA, the
DRONTE, and other species recently become extinct. "The Maoris assure
me," says Haast, "that the Kakapo is brave, and often confronts the
dogs with success; but this cannot be credited if their dogs are worth
anything, for mine never had any serious battle with it. At first, the
dog was attacked both with beak and claws, but it soon learnt to conquer
its game by biting it through the back." An idea was formerly entertained
that the Kakapos were nocturnal in their habits, but our observations
lead us to believe that this is not exactly the case. We generally heard
their voices about an hour after sunset, in places which were rendered
dark and obscured by thick foliage, and they then began to sweep about,
attracted by the light. We, however, twice saw these birds during the
day feeding upon the ground, and strictly upon their guard against
approaching danger. On the first occasion, about noon on a cloudy day,
we were returning through an open wood from the western coast, and saw
the Kakapo sitting upon an uprooted tree, not far from the Haast river;
as we approached, it quickly disappeared, but was caught by the dogs.
The second time, on a clear day, as we entered a deep ravine, we saw one
of these birds perched ten feet high upon a fuchsia-tree, the berries
of which it was eating. As soon as it saw us, it fell, as though shot,
to the earth, and disappeared beneath the surrounding blocks of stone.
The most astonishing thing was, that the bird made no use of its wings;
indeed, did not even open them to break its fall. In order to ascertain
whether it would either fly or flutter, we followed, and having with
us a Kakapo that had been taken uninjured by the dogs, we set it free
upon a large, open, gravelly spot, where there was plenty of room to
run away, if it wished to do so, or to raise itself into the air, even
should it require a large space for that purpose. We were much surprised
to find that it only ran to the nearest thicket, and that much faster
than we could have thought possible from the structure of its toes and
the bulk of its body. Its movements resembled those of a barn-door fowl.
We stood on one side of it, and it appeared to us that it kept its wings
quite close to the body; but one of our companions, who was behind it,
observed that the wings were slightly raised, but motionless; so that
doubtless they are employed more as a means of balancing the bird than to
accelerate its progress. Though its shape is not suited to running, it
can progress in this manner to a considerable distance, as we often saw
by its tracks, which extended sometimes for more than a mile over sand
and shingle down to the bank of the river. Lyall, however, has seen this
bird flying, though only for trifling distances. "During our hunt," he
says, "we only saw the Kakapo fly when, having climbed a hollow tree, it
wished to reach another in the neighbourhood. From the first tree it flew
down to the next in height, making its way up each in turn, climbing very
quickly to the top by the help of its tail; the motion of the wings was
very trifling--indeed, almost imperceptible.
"The cry of the Kakapo is a hoarse croak, which changes into a discordant
screech when the bird is angry or hungry. The Maoris declare that the
noise these creatures make is sometimes deafening during the winter,
when they congregate in great numbers, and greet each other on their
arrival or departure. The stomach of a specimen we killed contained a
pale or almost white homogeneous mass, without any trace of flesh, so
that, doubtless, its food consists partly of roots and partly of leaves
and delicate shoots of plants. We observed that at one place where the
birds were very numerous, a leguminous plant, growing on the banks of the
river, had all its buds nipped off; and learnt from a boatman, who had
lived in that place for many years engaged in the whale fisheries, that
the Kakapo was the offender. We also found its beak covered with hardened
dirt. This species, he told us, requires a great deal of river water in
order to dilute the pulpy mass of vegetable matter in its crop. Except
in two instances, in which berries had been eaten, we found the crop
always filled with half-digested moss, and so distended and heavy that
it weighed many ounces; the bird, moreover, appeared much smaller when
the crop was emptied. The quantity of innutritious food with which it
stuffs itself explains its liking for living upon the ground, and compels
it to resort to wild localities inhabited by no other parrots. Another
peculiarity, also perhaps a consequence of this vegetable diet, is, that
instead of the soft oily fat that other birds have under the skin, it has
an abundance of solid white fat; its flesh is much whiter than that of
other parrots, and has a very superior flavour. We must be forgiven for
observing that it is a dainty article of food for those who are wandering
in these wildernesses, and we can quite believe that the Maoris smack
their lips whenever the Kakapo is mentioned."
On the subject of their propagation, Lyall makes the following
statement:--"During the latter half of February and the first days of
March, at which time we tarried among the dwelling-places of the Kakapos,
I found young in many holes, often only one, and never more than two
in each. In one instance I found a single nestling and an addled egg.
Sometimes, not always, I found the parent in the hole. There is no real
nest; the bird only scratches a shallow cavity in the dry mass of decayed
wood. The egg is pure white, about the size of a pigeon's.
"Many young birds were brought to us on board ship, but most of them
died in a few days, apparently in consequence of the unusual treatment;
others lived for some months. Generally, after a few weeks, their legs
were crippled by confinement, either on account of the smallness of their
cage, or the want of proper food. We fed them principally with sopped
bread and cooked potatoes; if we allowed them to run about in the garden,
they ate the grass and cabbages, and snapped eagerly at every green leaf
that came in their way. A Kakapo which we succeeded in bringing alive to
within six hundred miles of the English coast, ate, while we resided in
Sydney, the leaves of the Banksias and Eucalypti. It seemed to relish
nuts and almonds, and during the latter part of our voyage home, lived
almost entirely upon Brazil nuts. On several occasions this bird was
seized with cramp for two or three days, and whilst this lasted it ate
nothing, cried furiously, and hacked with its bill if any one ventured
to disturb it. At such times it was not to be trusted, for it bit most
fiercely, precisely when least expected. Its temper was always at the
best when any one took it out of its cage. Early in the morning it would
busy itself, as soon as out of confinement, with the first object that
came in its way, generally with our trousers or boots. The latter it much
fancied--it would squat upon them, beat its wings, and give every symptom
of the greatest enjoyment; it would then rise, rub its sides against
them, roll on them back downwards, and kick its feet in the most lively
manner. An unlucky accident caused its death."
Another of these birds, which Captain Stoke brought ashore and
transmitted to the care of Major Murray, was allowed to run about the
garden freely. It showed a strong liking for the company of children, and
would follow them about like a dog.
* * * * *
The LONG-TAILED PARROTS are rich in species, and present considerable
variety in their dimensions, their size ranging from that of the largest
Parrot to that of a Finch; but they all possess in common a graduated
tail, at least as long as the body, the middle feathers of which are
sometimes twice the length of those at the side. The wings, which are
moderately pointed, seldom reach, when folded, beyond the first third of
the tail. The beak is, as a rule, strong, almost always short, and very
round, but sometimes, in solitary cases, it is long and but slightly
bowed.
The plumage of the Long-tailed Parrots is very varied, still it never
possesses the softness and gloss observable in the coat of the Lory. A
tuft-like prolongation of the feathers is rarely but occasionally met
with. It is, however, impossible to describe the plumage of this group
in general terms; suffice it to say, that the hues we have mentioned as
employed in the coloration of other parrots, also predominate in their
feathers. The Long-tailed Parrots may be considered as the type of their
order, inhabiting, as they do, all the various countries in which the
race is found.