20§ i Transactions 



I was on the Preservation Inlet track, with similar results." With regard 

 to the latter localities, the writer, in March, 1911, travelled through the 

 bush from the Waiau to the inlet and back and has also since then twice 

 traversed the bush between the sea-coast and the southern end of Hauroko 

 without seeing any signs of the robin. Messrs. Crosby Smith and Gibb, 

 however, visiting the lake in 1910, found a few robins there, so that it appears 

 that the bird disappeared from the environs of the lake at quite a recent 

 date. 



From other correspondents I learn that the robin is still to be found at 

 Grove Bush, Caroline, The Longwoods, Spar Bush, Kapuka, and Stewart 

 Island. In none of these places, however, is the bird common, and it is 

 therefore pleasing to hear from Mr. R. Gibb that at Waikaia the species 

 is still plentiful. Writing under date of 12th March, 1912, Mr. Gibb says, 

 ' Last Saturday I had a trip to the Waikaia Bush, and found the robin the 

 commonest bird there. Altogether I must have seen twenty in the space 

 of three or four hours. Their song, too, was to be heard in every gully. 

 Unfortunately, this bush had been badly burned about three years ago. 

 The robins were right out on the edge of the birch forest, and even came 

 and perched on the stumps and fallen trees in the cleared glades." 



From Mr. Jules Tapper comes an observation that I think is new in 

 the life-history of the robin. I quote from a letter of the 20th July, 1911 : 

 " A short time ago I was witness of a rather unique and pretty spectacle 

 enacted by a couple of robins. One of the birds— presumably the female — 

 was perched on a rotten stump about a foot from the ground, whilst its 

 mate, with wings extended, was executing a series of movements for all the 

 world like certain figures in the skirt-dance." As far as I am aware, the 

 love-dance of the robin at pairing-time has never before been recorded. It- 

 is well known that the males of different birds indulge in certain fantastic 

 posturings with the apparent object of gaining the good will of the hen 

 birds. The argus pheasant and several of the same family, the North 

 American grouse, the blackcock, various humming-birds, snipe, and ruff 

 are cases in point. But these are all, or nearly all, instances in which the 

 male bird is considerably more ornamented than the female. In the case 

 of the robin there is little apparent difference between the sexes, and it is 

 the more interesting to find that in so homely a bird courting posturings 

 have been developed. 



The explanation usually given to account for the disappearance of the 

 robins is that stoats and weasels have been the agents of extermination. 

 While it is undoubted that these vermin are the most bitter foes of many 

 of our native birds, there are circumstances in the case of the robin which 

 tend to modify such a conclusion. From Mr. A. W. Traill I learn that, 

 though stoats and weasels have not yet made their appearance in Stewart 

 Island, the robin is now only to be found far back in the bush, out of reach 

 of settlement. 



Mr. Gibb suggests that the main cause of the scarcity of the robin is 

 to be sought in diseases introduced by imported birds. 



Fantails (Rliipidura). 



So many instances of the interbreeding of R. flabellifera and R- fuligi- 

 nosa have come under my notice that I am inclined to doubt the advis- 

 ability of regarding the two forms as distinct species. In February, 1897, 

 I came on a black fantail feeding its young. Two of the three young birds 

 were black, and the remaining one pied. The other parent did not put in 



