216 Transactions. — Zoology. 



Bliipidura flahellifera (Pied Fautail). 

 E. fuliginosa (Black Fantail). 



On the outskirts of the bush the pied and black fantails 

 are daily on the wing, eagerly consuming the sandflies so 

 troublesome in the bush. In dull or wet weather these birds 

 are busy on the shores of the lake, flitting lightly over the 

 water beneath the overhanging branches, and performing 

 graceful evolutions in the air in pursuit of their prey. Both 

 species are abundant around the lake. Their food, the 

 common sandfly {Limulia austraUcnsis), is abundant — a fact 

 which is well known to visitors or dwellers in the West Coast 

 bush. 



Turnagra crassirostris (South Island Thrush). 



The South Island or thick-billed thrush is still fairly 

 numerous at the lake, but has disappeared from the lower 

 gullies of the Arnold, between Stillwater (now named Kichard- 

 son) and the Arnold gold-diggings. Fifteen or twenty years 

 ago this species existed in great numbers on the Maori Gully 

 goldfield, and fed around the huts and tents of the diggers, 

 frequently entering and hopping on the floors picking crumbs, 

 but gradually their numbers diminished until at the present 

 time not a single thrush exists on the goldfield. Like the 

 British species (Turdus musicus), the early morning or evening 

 is the best time to hear its splendid notes and call, or to study 

 its habits, it being then most active. A few hours after sun- 

 rise they cease to sing or to answer each other's notes, and 

 generally remain silent in fine weather during the day among 

 the tree-ferns and lower branches of the trees. In dull or wet 

 weather they move about among the higher branches in search 

 of food, and avoid the heavy drip of the thick undergrowth. 

 Like other species, as the wood-robin, the yellow-breasted tit, 

 the crow, and weka, it is easily attracted to the spot where 

 any unusual noise is produced in the bush near its haunts, 

 often coming almost within reach of the individual attracting 

 it, spreading its beautiful rich brown tail, moving sideways 

 along the branch, and turning its body right and left, mean- 

 while examining the stranger closely. It is, however, a 

 powerful flier, and flies with great precision through the 

 tangled vegetation. I have observed it several times 

 performing such flights ; resting almost motionless for some 

 minutes on a high limb of a tree, it would suddenly ruffle its 

 feathers, and, dropping from the limb, fly with great force 

 through the thick undergrovv^th, reappearing again on a high 

 limb some distance away. One bird I watched uttered a wild 

 jubilant note as it dropped from its perch to repeat its flights 

 from tree to tree. It is probably a habit peculiar to the 



