. A dictionary of birds . elong to the newly described A. mantelli, and some careful observa-tions on its habits in captivity were published by Wolley andanother {Zoologist, pp. 3409, 3605).^ Subsequently the Societyhas received several other live examples of this form, besides one ofthe real A. australis (Froc. 1872, p. 861), some of A. oweni, and oneof a supposed fourth species, A. haasti, characterized in 1871 by thelate Mr. Potts {Ibis, 1872, p. 35 ; Trans. K Zeal. Inst. iv. p. 204,V. p. 195).- The Kiwis form a group of the Subclass Ratit.^, to which therank of an Order has been fitly assi
. A dictionary of birds . elong to the newly described A. mantelli, and some careful observa-tions on its habits in captivity were published by Wolley andanother {Zoologist, pp. 3409, 3605).^ Subsequently the Societyhas received several other live examples of this form, besides one ofthe real A. australis (Froc. 1872, p. 861), some of A. oweni, and oneof a supposed fourth species, A. haasti, characterized in 1871 by thelate Mr. Potts {Ibis, 1872, p. 35 ; Trans. K Zeal. Inst. iv. p. 204,V. p. 195).- The Kiwis form a group of the Subclass Ratit.^, to which therank of an Order has been fitly assigned, as they differ in manyimportant particulars from any of the other existing forms of Ratitebirds. The most obvious feature the Apteri/ges afford is the pres-ence of a back toe, while the extremely aborted condition of thewings, the position of the nostrils—almost at the tip of the bill—and the absence of an aftershaft in the feathers, are charactersnearly as manifest, and others not less determinative though more. Head of Aptervx. (From BuUer.) recondite will be found on examination. The Kiwis are peculiarto New Zealand, and it is believed that A. mantelli is the repre-sentative in the North Island of the southern A. australis, bothbeing of a dark reddish-brown, longitudinally striped with lightyellowish-brown, Avhile A. oweni, of a light greyish brown trans-versely barred with black, is said to occur in both islands. Aboutthe size of a large domestic Fowl, they are birds of nocturnalhabit, sleeping, or at least inactive, by day, feeding mostly on earth-worms, but occasionally swallowing berries, though in captivitythey will eat flesh suitably minced. Sir W. Buller writes [B. NeioZeal. p. 3G2 ; ed. 2, ii. p. 313):— ^ This bhd in 1859 laid an egg, and afterwards continued to lay one or two moreevery year. In 1865 a male of tlie same species was introduced, but though astrong disposition to breed was shewn on the part of both, and the eggs, afterthe custom of the Puiti
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Keywords: ., bookauthorlyde, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirds
