Identifier: royalnaturalhist47lyde (find matches)
Title: The royal natural history
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: Lydekker, Richard, 1849-1915 Sclater, Philip Lutley, 1829-1913 Frostick, W. B., former owner. DSI Brooks, W. T., former owner. DSI
Subjects: Zoology Natural history
Publisher: London and New York : Frederick Warne & Co.
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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^ thekakapo remains hid in holes under the roots of trees or rocks, or veryrarely perched on the boughs of trees with a very dense thick foliage.At these times it appears stupid from its profound sleep, and if disturbedor taken from its hole, immediately runs and tries to hide itself again,delighting, if practicable, to cover itself in a heap of soft (\vx grass: about 138 PARROTS. sunset it becomes lively, animated, and playful, issues forth from its retreat, andfeeds on grass, weeds, vegetables, fruits, seeds, and roots. When eating grass,it grazes rather than feeds, nibbling the grass in the manner of a rabbit or wombat.It sometimes climbs trees, but generally remains upon the ground, and only usesits short wings for the purpose of aiding its progress when running, balancingitself when on a tree, or in making a short descent—half jump, half flight—from
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THE OWL-PARROT (\ liat. slze). an upper to a lower bough. When feeding, if pleased with its food, it makes acontinued grunting noise. It eats greedily, and is choice in its food, showing anevident relish for anything of which it is fond. It cries repeatedly during thenight, with a noise not very unlike that of the kaka, but not so loud. The kakapois a very clever and intelligent bird, in fact singularly so; contracts a strongaffection for those wlio are kind to it; shows its attachment by climbing about andrubbing itself against its friend; and is eminently a social and playful bird. Itbuilds in holes under trees and rocks, and lays two or three white eggs about thesize of a pullets in the month of February; and the voung birds are found in OWL-PARROT. 139 March. The natives assert that, when the breeding-season is over, the kakapolives in societies of five or six in the same hole ; and they sa)^ that it is a providentbird, and lays up in the fine season a store of fern-root for use i

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