288 Transactions. 



The cry of (23) was probably that of a young bird : the note was vibrato , 

 at first slow, in semiquavers, then rapidly faster until it throbbed like a 

 cricket's chirr, and broken as indicated. The notes of (24), heard occasion- 

 ally following (2), were very like the cry of the parrakeet. They were 

 uttered alone at times, lasting half a second. The whitehead almost 

 certainly imitates the robin ; it. is possible, in view of (14) and (17), that 

 he imitates the fantail, and in view of (24) the parrakeet. His deeper notes, 

 too, are often like those of the bell-bird, with which he at times associates. 

 Again, it is possibly not mimicry at all, but a chance resemblance of a few 

 of the notes to the notes of other birds. 



Ground-lark. 



There is a fair number of ground-larks on the open flats at Kapiti. 

 I did not hear its song ; but its call, during flight, is as in (2). These 



(2 ) (J b J^ -7 <TJ ^ ml 1 y *J 7 J* * • * J r = 



pi-pif fi-pif p-l- pi/- pi-pif /It- pi/- p/-pi-plt 



couples or threes are uttered in irregular sequence, and at irregular 

 intervals. 



Tui. 



The tui is very plentiful on Kapiti, and very tame. The call of (92) 

 with its many variations — (92a) to (92j) — took the place of the five-bell call 

 of the South. The repeated semiquavers varied from two to four, more 

 often two or three, sung at the rate of about ten a second, the effect being 

 the same as that of the rebounds of a hammer on an anvil. The com- 

 monest forms were (d) and (e), with three semiquavers ; these were sung 

 more or less every day. , The variation (c), was uttered in about a second 

 and a half at intervals of from fifteen to thirty seconds, the first note being 

 strongly vocalized ; in the whole of the variations, too, the first note was 

 vocalized more or less. Variations (a) and (b) were sung at 3 o'clock in the 

 morning, the difference in pitch being unvarying. Whether the notes were 

 by one or two birds it was impossible to say ; they came apparently from 

 the same quarter, and as they were calls before the morning chorus, in which 

 several birds took part, they were possibly by two birds. The notes of (f) 

 were sung in the air. The tui flew up, closed its wings, and dived per- 

 pendicularly from a height of 20-25 ft. into a karaka, spreading the wings 

 and tail at the moment of entering the foliage. The notes were sung during 

 the fall ; time, under two seconds. The tsrr tsrr was almost a squeak, 

 and the F was faintly vocalized kiau ; the " i " of the G was short as in 

 " pit " ; the notes on B were in full flute tones. The opening notes were 

 rarely downwards as in (g). At times the rebound quickened to a vibrato, 

 as in (h) to (j). The vibrato, on the first part of the note only, was very 

 light, though distinct. On the 25th December, 1916, a tui in the distance, 

 at evening, sang (93). Occasionally he sang the three consecutive notes 

 of (a), but more often he sang the notes singly, sometimes one, sometimes 

 another, at intervals — about three in two seconds. At times he sang (b), 

 more rarely (c) — all clear, flute-bell tones. (93d) was sung on the 2nd 

 January, 1917, and in it the notes of a minor chord occur — an unusual 



