EUROPE’S LAST KIWI

Evening Star, Issue 21966, 28 February 1935, Page 1

EUROPE’S LAST KIWI

REFUSES IS EXHIBIT DISAPPOINTED CROWDS. ' -. LONDON, January 26. News that a kiwi (the first seen here for thirteen years) had arrived at the London Zoo from New Zealand brought 'crowds of sightseers to Regent’s Park this week. But they were disappointed. The last kiwi that Britain is ever likely to have seems doomed to live and die unseen except by the keeper and a privileged few visitors. She-re-fuses to come .out of her box. except at dark. _ ■ If the keeper take her out of her box he' is merely kicked for his pains. She is so unsociable, that, in spite of her importance,, she is not likely to be given a nam'e. She is a pretty little thing, the size of a small goose, with soft fawn and brown feathers and hidden rudimentary. wings, which are flightless. Her beak, usually described as long, is really the smallest in the world, her cause her nostril is right down at the tip of" the long mandibles. There is no reason why she should not live .well and happily so long as she eats nothing that disagrees with her, If her digestion is upset the keepers are helpless. Physic will not help her. That is' why her meat is minced arid the tendons removed from it. / She will probably produce eggs—which are enormous for her sizehut as there is no male bird ther# will he no baby kiwis. Neither will there he any raora grown-np kiwis. This one is believed to be the only one in Europe,