210 Transactions. — Zoology. 



If so, they must be of rarer occurrence than any I have 

 enumerated, and were never observed there by me. I may 

 add that my object in w^riting this paper is to illustrate the 

 ornithology of Lake Brunner as it is in 1888, and before the 

 physical features of the country are changed and many of the 

 birds become extinct in the district — a result which will in- 

 evitably follow the construction of the Midland Eailway and 

 the subsequent clearing and settlement. 



Appended is the list of birds inhabiting the lake district. 



Hieracidea hrunnca (Bush-hawk). 



It is intensely interesting to watch a pair of these falcons- 

 hovering and circling high above the bush, poising motionless 

 for some seconds, and darting forward at intervals to perform 

 their graceful circling flight, meanwhile uttering their " loud 

 petulant scream." Sir Walter Buller, in his great work on 

 the birds of New Zealand, has described the vehement scream- 

 ing of this hawk when flying high as an excellent indication of 

 changes in the barometer. As there is more bad weather on 

 the west coast than on the east, and the bird is common, I 

 had good opportunities in the vicinity of the lake of noting 

 the screaming of the bush-hawk in relation to the weather, 

 and invariably found it to be succeeded by bad weather. The 

 days on which they perform their high screaming flights is 

 followed by nights of continuous and loud calling of the wekas 

 and kiwis, both of which are equally good indicators of bad 

 weather approaching. 



The nest of this little falcon is placed on the top of some 

 old dead tree-stem, broken off some distance from the ground, 

 or in a hanging mass of climbers. It boldly assails any 

 intruder near its eyrie, and screams vociferously while assailing 

 him. As the food-supply is abundant around the lake, and 

 the birds are rarely molested, they will remain common for 

 some years to come. 



Circus gouldi (New Zealand Harrier). 



I observed the harrier occasionally circling around the 

 mouth of the Ahuna Eiver, an influent near the top of the 

 lake, but it rarely enters the bush in search of prey. Judging 

 from the direct line of flight I have observed them taking, I 

 am of opinion that they pass up the Arnold River from the 

 coast, and cross the open lake as a near route to the open 

 country at the head waters of the Teremakau Eiver, where 

 the species is common. Owing to the dense bush it cannot 

 procure food in the lake valley. 



Spiloglaux novce-zealandicB (Morepork Owl). 

 Common around the lake and the whole course of the 

 Arnold Eiver. 



