T. KiKK. — Displacement of Species in Neto Zealand. 9 



but the balance of evidence seems to point to its having been 

 introduced from Austraha by natural agencies. 



The tui (Prosthemadera novce-zcalandice, Gml.), the bell- 

 bird {Anthornis melanura, Sparrm), and the stitch-bird. {Pogo- 

 nornis cincta, Dubus) appear to have alike suffered from the 

 diminution of their food-supply caused by the introduction of 

 the honey-bee, while they have been incessantly attacked by 

 cats and rats ; the tui, however, shows the greatest power of 

 resistance, as it is still to be found throughout the colony, 

 although in greatly diminished numbers. The bell-bird, which 

 formerly existed in large numbers in both the North and South 

 Islands, has become extremely rare and local in the North, 

 although more plentiful in the South ; while the stitch-bird 

 appeal's to have been driven to its last refuge in the Little 

 Barrier Island, where it still forms the prey of the destructive 

 collector. It has been suggested that one cause of the disap- 

 pearance of the bell-bird from the North Island is the diminu- 

 tion of its food-supply caused by the honey-bee, which is 

 plentiful in nearly all districts ; but this v/ould render it 

 difficult to account for its preservation in the South Island, 

 where bees are equally plentiful. It may possibly be found 

 that the increase of bees has been injurious to certain indi- 

 genous insects, but at present there is no evidence to that 

 effect. 



The little bush-wren {Xenicus longipes, Gml.) is almost 

 extirpated in localities where it was once plentiful, and. the 

 North Island robin [Petroica longipes, Less.) is rarely to be 

 seen even in sparsely-settled districts ; while the little fern- 

 bird (Sphenceacus punctatns , Quoy and Gaim) has become 

 comparatively rare in numerous swamps and reed-beds where 

 it was once common. The ground-lark {Anthus novce-zea- 

 landicz, Gml.) maintains its ground in country districts, al- 

 though it has become rare in the vicinity of towns, partly, 

 perhaps, from its being attacked by cats and rats, or by 

 boys still more merciless. So also the familiar forest-bird the 

 fantail (Bhipidura Jlabellifera, Gml.), although its numbers 

 have been greatly reduced in nearly all localities. All, or 

 nearly all, the small native birds suffer alike from the attacks 

 of rats and wild cats. The saddle-back {Creadiou caruncula- 

 tus, Gml.) has become very rare throughout the limited por- 

 tion of the North Island to which it was naturally restricted, 

 and is now in danger of extermination on the Little Barrier 

 Island, where it was formerly plentiful. It is almost super- 

 fluous to mention the increasing scarcity of the beautiful 

 native pigeon (Carpophaga novce-zealandicR, Gml.). Notwith- 

 standing its former abundance throughout the colony, there is 

 scarcely a single district in which it is to be found in large 

 numbers at the present time. Although it has not escaped 



