190
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
called Houtourou, or Little Barrier Island, a
small island, completely wooded, rising about
1000 feet above the sea level, and only acces-
sible when the sea is quite calm, which is
situated in the Gulf of Hauraki, near Auck-
land, it is said to be still tolerably common.
In the inhabited portions of the southern dis-
tricts of the Northern Island also, it is become
nearly exterminated by men, dogs, and wild
cats, and here is only to be found in the more
inaccessible and less populous mountain-
chains, that is in the wooded mountains be-
tween Cape Palliser and East Cape."

"But the inhabitants of the Northern Island
speak also of two sorts of Kiwi, which they
distinguish as Kiwi-nui (large Kiwi) and
Kiwi-iti (small Kiwi.) The Kiwi-nui is said
to be found in the Tuhua district, west of
Lake Taupo, and is in my opinion Apteryx
Mantelli. Kiwi-iti may possibly be Apteryx
Owenii, though I can give no certain informa-
tion on the subject."

4.—APTERYX MAXIMA.

"The Fireman," Gould in Birds of Aus-
tralia, subattab. 3, vol. vi. Apteryx Maxima,
Bp. Compt. Rend. Acad. Sc.

"Roa-roa" of the Natives of Southern
Island.

The existence of a large species of Apteryx
in the Middle Island of New Zealand has long
ago been affirmed, and though no specimens of
this bird have yet reached Europe, the follow-
ing remarks of Dr. von Hochstetter seem to
leave no reasonable doubt of its actual exist-
ence :-

"Besides Apteryx Owenii a second larger
species lives on the Middle Island, of which,
although no examples have yet reached Eu-
rope, the existence is nevertheless quite certain.
The Natives distinguish this species not as a
Kiwi, but as a Roa, because it is larger than A.
Owenii (Roa meaning long or tall).

"John Rochfort, Provincial Surveyor in
Nelson, who returned from an expedition to the
western coast of the Province while I was stay-
ing at Nelson, in his report, which appeared in
the "Nelson Examiner" of August 24th, 1859,
describes this species, which is said to be by no
means uncommon in the Paparoa elevation,
between the Grey and Buller rivers in the
following terms:--" A Kiwi about the size of
a turkey, very powerful, having spurs on his
feet, which, when attacked by a dog, defends
himself so well, as frequently to come off
victorious."

"My friend, Julius Haast, a German, who
was my travelling companion in New Zealand,
and in the beginning of the year 1860 under-
took an exploring expedition to the Southern
and western parts of the Province of Nelson,
writes to me in a letter, dated July 1860,
dated from ten miles above the mouth of the
river Buller, on the mountains of the Buller
chain, which at a height of from 3000 to 4000
feet, were at that time, it being winter in New
Zealand, slightly covered with snow, that the
tracks of a large Kiwi of the size of a turkey
were very common in the snow, and that at
night he had often heard the singular cry of
this bird, but that as he had no dog with him
he had not succeeded in getting an example of
it. He had, nevertheless, left with some Na-
tives in that district a tin case with spirit, and
promised them a good reward if they would
get him one of these birds in spirits, and send
it to Nelson by one of the vessels which go
from time to time to the west coast."

In concluding this brief repor we wish to
call attention to the importance of obtaining
further knowledge respecting the recent species
of this singular form of birds, whilst it is yet
possible to do so. We see that one of them—
the Apteryx Mantelli—is already fast disap-
pearing, whilst its history, habits, mode of
nidification, and many other particulars res-
pecting it are as yet altogether unknown. We
therefore trust that such members of this As-
sociation as have friends or correspondents in
any part of New Zealand will impress upon
them the benefits that they will confer on
science, by endeavouring to procure more speci-
mens of, and additional information concern-
ing the different speices of the genus Apteryx.

R. Chilman appointed Sub-Treasurer.

Treasury, Auckland,
22nd May, 1862.

IT is hereby notified that
RICHARD CHILMAN, Esq.,
has been appointed Sub-Treasurer at New
Plymouth. The appointment to bear date
from 1st June, 1862.
READER WOOD.

NATIVES.

H. Taylor appointed Inspector of Schools.
Office of Minister for Native Affairs,
Auckland, 22nd May, 1862.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been
pleased to appoint
HENRY TAYLOR, ESQ.,
Inspector of Native Schools.
This appointment to bear date from the 1st
February last.
WILLIAM FOX.

DISSOLUTION OF PARTNERSHIP.

NOTICE is hereby given, that the Partner-
ship hitherto existing between the un-
dersigned, under the designation of Turnbull,
Bing and Co., is this day dissolved by mutual
consent.

All debts due to the firm must be paid to
W. and G. Turnbull and Co., High-street, by
the first day of June, or legal proceedings will
be adopted for their recovery.

And all claims against the firm are requested
to be sent in for examination and liquidation,
before the above mentioned date, otherwise
they will not be recognised.

(Signed) GEORGE TURNBULL,
For self and Walter Turnbull,
ADOLPH BING

(Signed)
Witness signatures,
(Signed) EDWARD REEVES.
Dunedin, 30th April, 1862.