Buller. — Notes on Netu Zealand Birds. 55 



and the inevitable progress of settlement in its native woods, 

 it is fast disappearing. I refer, of course, to the Huia (Hctera- 

 locha acutirostris), a bird which is naturally confined within 

 such narrow geographical boundaries that I may describe its 

 range as being limited to the Euahine, Tararua, and Rimutaka 

 Mountain-ranges, with their divergent spurs and the inter- 

 vening wooded valleys. The white-tipped tail-feathers of this 

 beautiful bird have been from time immemorial the chief 

 adornment of Maori chiefs as head-plumes ; and an incident 

 connected therewith, in ancient times, led to the adoption 

 of the name by the great ancestors of the Ngatihuia Tribe. 

 As Ministers are aware, when selecting a Maori name for my 

 infant son, to commemorate his New Zealand birth, I was 

 induced, for several considerations, to give this name the pre- 

 ference over all others submitted to me ; and I should there- 

 fore accept it as a compliment to my family if Ministers would 

 exercise the power they possess, and throw over this bird the 

 shield of Government protection. I ask this the more readily 

 on the ground that I have been moved to do so by the chiefs 

 of the Ngatihuia Tribe. At the public function at Otaki, on 

 the 12th September last, when I had the pleasure of present- 

 ing my son to the assembled tribes, a number of very compli- 

 mentary speeches were made by the leading chiefs, and one of 

 them, in referring to the name, said, ' There, yonder, is the 

 snow-clad Euabine Range, the home of our favourite bird. 

 We ask you, O Governor ! to restrain the pakehas from shoot- 

 ing it, that when your boy grows up he may see the beautiful 

 bird which bears his name.' The Huia loves the deep shade 

 of the forest, and as its home is invaded by the settler's axe it 

 would, if protected from reckless destruction, simply retire 

 higher up the wooded ranges, till it finally took refuge in the 

 permanent forest reserve, which embraces all the wooded 

 mountain-tops within its natural domain. Under vigilant 

 protection, therefore, the Huia would have every chance of 

 being preserved and perpetuated." 



I believe it is part of Mr. Ballance's scheme to acclimatise 

 Huias on Resolution Island. As mentioned already, the natural 

 range of this bird is a very limited one, but it includes the cold 

 summits of several mountain-ranges, and it is not improbable, 

 therefore, that the climate of Resolution Island will suit it 

 very well. At any rate, the experiment is worth a trial, and 

 will be watched with interest by scientists both here and at 

 Home. The marvellous manner in which the birds brought 

 from the South by Sir George Grey, and placed on his island 

 home at Kawau, have increased and multiplied, affords ample 

 proof that New Zealand birds, from whatever locality, will, 

 under favourable conditions, thrive well anywhere. 



As pointed out by Lord Onslow in his memorandum, 



