The geographical distribution of animals, with a study of the relations ...

;chap, xiii.] THE AUSTRALIAN REGION. 455small islands ; but such localities seem favourable to the Platycercidae,for another peculiar species isfound in the remote MacquarieIslands, more than 400 miles farther south. A peculiarspecies and genus of ducks, Nesonetta aucklandica, is also foundhere, and as far as yet known, nowhere else. A species ofthe northern genus Mergus isbeen recently obtained by Baron von Hiigel.also found on these islands, and hasPlate XIII. Illustrating the peculiar Ornithology of New Zealand.—Ourartist has here depicted a group of the most remarkableand characteristic of the New Zealand birds.In the middleforeground is the Owl-parrot or Kakapoe (Stringops habroptilus),a nocturnal burrowing parrot, that feeds on fern-shoots, roots,berries, and occasionally lizards ; that climbs but does not flyand that has an owl-like mottled plumage and facial disc.The wings however are not rudimentary, but fully developed;and it seems to be only the muscles that have become uselessfor want of exercise. This would imply, that these birds havenot long been inhabitants of New Zealand only, but were developedin other countries (perhaps Australia) where their wingswere of use to them.Beyond the Kakapoe are a pair of the large rails, Notornismantelli; heavy birds with short wings quite useless forflight, and with massive feet and bill of a red colour. Onthe right is a pair of Kiwis {Apteryx australis), one of thequeerest and most unbird-like of living birds.It has very smalland rudimentary wings, entirely concealed by the hair-likeplumage, and no tail. It is nocturnal, feeding chiefly on worms,which it extracts from soft earth by means of its long bill. Thegenus Apteryx forms a distinct family of birds, of which fourspecies are now known, besides some which are extinct. Theyare allied to the Cassowary and to the gigantic extinct Dinornis.On the wing are a pair of Crook-billed Plovers {Anarhynchusfrontalis), remarkable for being the only birds known whichhave the bill bent sideways. This was at first thought to be amalformation ;but it is now proved to be a constant character ofthe species, as it exists even in the young chicks;yet the purposeserved by such an anomalous structure is not yet discovered.