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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 304, 24 December 1867, Page 2

The condition of the Province of Auckland is rapid'y approaching the state of total collapse. Tliere is no revenue hardly, and the whole of the Provincial Government officials have received notice to quit bj Lhe end of the year: tbis is supposed to be preparatory totheGinenilGovernmeiit assuming the government of the province. bir George Grey arrived at Auckland on the 7th inst. from lOtwau. An address was co be presented to him by the inhabitants. . The Westport Evening Star states that two excellent specimens of the kakapo, or night parrot, are on exhibition in W esi port. They were discovered by a dog in a hole beneath a large boulder, and subsequently secured in most perfect condition. Although these birds have been known tor many years, only a few live specimens have yet been known to the public ; tbey aie entirely confined to the West Coast, of New Zealand. The pair in question are evidently male and female, the male bird having a finer looking head, but otherwise of the same size and color, viz. a brilliant green. Our readers are aware that, like the typical New Zealand birds, viz , kiwi, rolii, weka or woodhen, \\i\-* Wirii, the Kakapo, cannot fly, but against tbis has the advantage of being able to burrow under the roots aud stumps of the trees or under boulders, to enable it to do which it is provided with very large and powerful claws. It is a real parrot, having the characteristic gait of this species, viz., walking with two toes extended before and two behind ; it only ventures out of its lair by niaht, the eyes not being adapted for the Jight of the day. In fact, it nv-»y be denominated a night-ground-parrot. In size it is larger than the generality of parrots and remarkably stout, especially towards the shoulders; in this respect resembling its night colleague the owl, having, however, instead of the sombre color a bright green plumage mottled with dark on the wings.