stata</i>, Gould.

1890. `Victorian Statutes--Game Act' (Third Schedule):

"Wedge-bill. [Close season.] From 1st day of August to 10th
day of December next following in each year."

<hw>Weeping-Gum</hw>. See <i>Gum</i>.

<hw>Weeping-Myall</hw>, <i>n</i>. an Australian tree, <i>Acacia
pendula</i>, Cunn., <i>N.O. Leguminosae</i>. See <i>Myall</i>.

<hw>Weka</hw>, <i>n</i>. the Maori name for the <i>Wood-hen</i>
(q.v.) of New Zealand, so called from its note. There are two
species--

South-Island Weka, or Wood-hen--
<i>Ocydromus australis</i>, Strick.

North-Island W., or W.-h.--
<i>Ocydromus brachypterus</i>, Buller.

The specimens intergrade to such an extent that precise
limitation of species is extremely difficult; but Sir W. L.
Buller set them out as these two in 1878, regarding other
specimens as varieties. The birds are sometimes called
<i>Weka-Rails</i>, and the Maori name of <i>Weka-pango</i> is
given to the <i>Black Wood-hen</i> (<i>0. fuscus</i>, Du Bus.).

1845. E. J. Wakefield, `Adventures in New Zealand,' vol. ii.
p. 95:

"Two young weka, or wood-hens, about as large as sparrows
. . . were esteemed a valuable addition to our scanty supper."

1864. R. L. A. Davies, `Poems and Literary Remains' (edition
1884), p. 263:

"Wood-hens, or Waikas, are a great stand-by in the bush.
Their cry can be imitated, and a man knowing their language
and character can catch them easily. They call each other by
name, pronounced `Weeka,' latter syllable being shrill and
prolonged, an octave higher than the first note. . . . The
wood-hen is about the size of a common barn-door fowl; its
character is cunning, yet more fierce than cunning, and more
inquisitive than either."

1865. Lady Barker, `Station Life in New Zealand,' p. 28:

"Until the numbers of the wekas are considerably reduced. They
are very like a hen pheasant without the long tail-feathers,
and until you examine them you cannot tell they have no wings,
though there is a sort of small pinion among the feathers, with
a claw at the end of it. They run very swiftly, availing
themselves cleverly of the least bit of cover."

1867. F. Hochstetter, `New Zealand,' p. 167:

"Another famous bird of chase with the natives is the weka
(<i>Ocydromus Australis</i>), or the wood-hen, belonging to
the class of rails, which have already become quite scarce upon
North Island. In the grassy plains and forests of the Southern
Alps, however, they a