Maori name for the bird Sceloglaux albifacies, Gray, a New Zealand owl,which is there called the Laughing-Jackass.See Jackass.
1869. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia' [Supplement]:
« Sceloglaux Albifacies, Wekau. Another of the strangeinhabitants of our antipodal country, New Zealand. An owl itunquestionably is, but how widely does it differ from everyother member of its family.»
1885. A. Reischek, `Transactions of New Zealand Institute,'vol. xviii. art. xiii. p. 97:
« Athene albifacies, Laughing owl (whekau). Owls aremore useful than destructive, but this species I never saw inthe north or out-lying islands, and in the south it isextremely rare, and preys mostly on rats.»
1885. `Transactions of the New Zealand Institute,' vol. xviii.p. 101:
«Already several species have disappeared from the mainland. . . or are extremely rare, such as . . . Laughing owl(Whekau).»