C—l 2.

The Kakapo (Stringops habrophilus Gray). —lt is probable that the kakapo is to be found at the south end of the island. Mr. Ford's dog is said to have killed one at Pegasus which is reported to have been extremely large, and bigger than those seen by Mr. Ford* in the South Island, at Preservation Inlet. The Bush Hawk (Nesierax australis Homb. and J acq.). —This small but fierce hawk is fairly common, and visits the settlements at times. The Harrier (Circus Gouldii Bonap.). —This hawk is found in the open country. It is far from common. It makes its nest in the swamps. The Wood-pigeon (Hemiphaga novae-zealandiae Gmel.). —This, perhaps the most beautiful of New Zealand birds, is very plentiful, the miro trees being a favourite haunt, but its presence in general is correlated with the fruiting of different trees and shrubs. The. Stewart Island Welca (Ocydromus Scotti 0. Grant). —All over the island, on the mountain meadows, the low ground, or the shore of the inlets, is this very friendly bird to be found. Buller describes the weka as " semi-nocturnal," but every day I met more than one, and in the North and South Islands have constantly seen them in the daytime. All the same, they become very active towards dusk, at which time especially their cry can be heard. They frequently make their nests under the Gahnia tussocks in the forest or subalpine scrub, and lay about six eggs. The old bird feeds the chickens, calling them up as does a domestic fowl, and breaking for them any piece of hard food with her strong beak, using it after the maimer of a pickaxe. The Pukeko (Porphyrio melanotus Temm.). —The pukeko occupies the swampy ground in the Freshwater Valley and Mason Bay, but it is not in great numbers. The White Heron (Herodias timoriensis Cuvier). —Not long ago a pair of these beautiful birds lived at Port Pegasus, but now only one remains, which may be frequently seen near the freezing-works. Probably, as elsewhere in New Zealand, the white heron was never very abundant. It would be an excellent thing to reintroduce the white heron into New Zealand, and Stewart Island is admirably suitable for the experiment. The bird is plentiful in many parts of the world, being a native of Australia, India, Ceylon, Malaya, &c.; and its reinstatement, if successful, would add an additional attraction to the Dominion. The Blue Heron (Demiegretta sacra Gmel.). —The blue heron may be occasionally seen standing on some point of vantage on the rocky shore of Port Pegasus or Paterson Inlet, but at the present time it is a very rare bird. The Bittern (Botaurus poeciloptilus Wagler). —The haunt of the bittern is amongst the sedges of the open swampy ground in the Rakiahua and Freshwater Valleys. It is fairly common. The Godwit (Limosa novae-zealandiae Gray). —This migratory bird, known in Stewart Island as the snipe, returns from its long journey from the far north in September and October. It is more than probable that numbers do not migrate, but remain for the winter.f They are only to be found at Paterson Inlet, where they feed at low-water on the mud-fiats at its head, flying in a great flock up or down the inlet at the turn of the tide. On a windy day the flight of the godwit flock is remarkable enough. At first there may be a long, thin, undulating, black line high overhead, not unlike the tail of a huge kite ; but this, kaleidoscope-like, constantly changes in appearance, occasionally breaking up into the constituent black dots of which it is composed, but which, high above, look like a swarm of flies or bees rather than birds. The Redbill (Haematopus longirostris Vieill.). —The redbill, or pied oyster-catcher, is found in the same localities as the following species, but is a comparatively rare bird. The Redbill, or Black Oyster-catcher (Haematopus unicolor Wagl.). —This is abundant on all the beaches of Stewart Island. Numbers of these birds may always be seen on the sandy shore of Mason Bay. There, at the end of November, they nest on the dunes. The. Dottrel (Ochthodromus obscurus Gmel.). —The dottrel is plentiful on beaches audalso on the mountain-tops, where, as on the Table Hill Range, it nests in November in depressions of the peaty ground. The Banded Dottrel (Ochthodromus bicinctus Jard. and Selb.). —This species, which is not so plentiful as the last noted, may be seen at Mason Bay, where it runs along the shore in front of the observer. The Sea-hawk (Megalestris antarctica Less.). —The sea-hawk is common on all the western beaches, but it may be occasionally seen on the east coast. It is very frequent at Mason Bay, making a nest of a few straws upon the dunes, in the shelter of the pingao (Scirpus frondosus). The Swallow-tailed Tern (Sterna vittata Gmel.). —This tern is common. It breeds during November and December, laying its eggs right on the bare rock of small islands in the inlets. The Black-backed Gull (Larus dominicanus Licht.). —This well-known bird is to be met with on every shore. It breeds at Mason Bay, laying its eggs beneath the pingao (Scirpus frondosus) tufts, on the summits of the highest dunes. The Mackerel Gull (Larus scopulinus Gray). —This charming little bird is everywhere on the coast. No sooner is a boat anchored than numbers perch upon its bowsprit or bulwarks. It nests on outlying rocks. The Mutton-bird (Puffinus griseus Gmel.). —This petrel, familiarly known as mutton-bird, is ol' special importance to Stewart Island, since on its presence depends an industry of some moment, and one, moreover, capable of considerable development. The adult bird is brownish-black in colour, but lighter beneath, and the under wing-coverts are white. The bill is bluish-white, and so are the wings and feet. The average size is about 17 in. from the apex of the bill to the tip of the tail, and the fully expanded wings measure about 12 in.

* A resident at Port Pegasus. t Mr. J.. Drummond in his notes " In Touch with Nature," Lyttelton Times, 21st November, 1908, brings a good deal of evidence favouring this view.

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