Дети капитана Гранта

On the Road to Auckland

           Hiscuriosityasanaturalistovercamehishungerasatraveler.Hecalledtomindthepeculiaritiesofthe"tui"ofthenatives,sometimescalledthemocking-birdfromitsincessantchuckle,andsometimes"theparson,"inallusiontothewhitecravatitwearsoveritsblack,cassock-likeplumage.

           "Thetui,"saidPaganeltotheMajor,"growssofatduringtheWinterthatitmakeshimill,andpreventshimfromflying.Thenhetearshisbreastwithhisbeak,torelievehimselfofhisfat,andsobecomeslighter.Doesnotthatseemtoyousingular,McNabbs?"

           "SosingularthatIdon’tbelieveawordofit,"repliedtheMajor.

           Paganel,tohisgreatregret,couldnotfindasinglespecimen,orhemighthaveshowntheincredulousMajorthebloodyscarsonthebreast.Buthewasmorefortunatewithastrangeanimalwhich,huntedbymen,catsanddogs,hasfledtowardtheunoccupiedcountry,andisfastdisappearingfromthefaunaofNewZealand.Robert,searchinglikeaferret,cameuponanestmadeofinterwovenroots,andinitapairofbirdsdestituteofwingsandtail,withfourtoes,alongsnipe-likebeak,andacoveringofwhitefeathersoverthewholebody,singularcreatures,whichseemedtoconnecttheoviparoustribeswiththemam-mifers.

           ItwastheNewZealand"kiwi,"theApteryxaustralisofnaturalists,whichliveswithequalsatisfactiononlarvae,insects,wormsorseeds.Thisbirdispeculiartothecountry.IthasbeenintroducedintoveryfewofthezoologicalcollectionsofEurope.

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