Rkischek. — On Pogonornis cincta. 85 





ornithological researches, and especially with the object of 

 studying the habits of these birds, which I may here mention 

 I have never seen or heard on the mainland or other surround- 

 ing islands. 



After searching the western and south-western parts of the 

 island, I was unsuccessful in seeing or obtaining a single speci- 

 men. I intended penetrating in to the centre, but was informed 

 by the Natives that it was impossible to get overland to the east 

 coast on account of the many precipices, and that the sea was 

 too rough to permit of my landing on that side ; so I returned 

 to Auckland, with the intention of resuming the search at 

 another time. 



In May, 1882, Mr. Dobson, a friend who has accompanied 

 me in several of my journeyings, preceded me to the same 

 island, for the purpose of repairing old huts and building new 

 ones, taking provisions for a prolonged mountain expedition, my 

 intention being to follow him in June ; but, owing to boisterous 

 weather, after making two attempts to land, and having to give 

 it up, once in the Water Lily after five days' cruising, and once 

 in the Rangatira after three days', I put off my trip till October, 

 on the loth of which month I succeeded in landing. The first 

 night we camped at the foot of a precipice, the ascent of which 

 we commenced at three o'clock next morning. To give an idea 

 of the difficulty of climbing here, I had to pull my dog (a good 

 Alpine traveller,) up with a rope, in addition to our provisions, 

 &c. After this we climbed over two ranges, each above 2,000 

 feet high, arriving at an old nikau whare, which my friend had 

 previously built, at the foot of the last range. It was dark 

 before we finished mending the roof and preparing for a start 

 the next day. On the morning of the 23rd, I first heard the 

 whistle of the Stitch-bird : I was unable, however, to get a 

 glimpse of it ; and though we cut tracks to the tops of most of 

 the main ranges, and afterwards frequently heard the birds, 

 could never see them. Later experience has taught me that 

 their shrill whistle is very deceptive, and the sound travels a 

 long distance. 



I then shifted my quarters further towards the interior ; and 

 on the 25th, my attention was arrested by the call of my dog at 

 a short distance. On going towards him I saw a male Stitch- 

 bird hopping about in a very excited mauner in the scrub above 

 him. 1 was so interested in watching this beautiful bird (which 

 has a brighter plumage than any of its New Zealand compeers), 

 with its quick and graceful movements, that it disappeared 

 before I attempted to use my gun. 



Though constantly exploring, I never saw another specimen 

 till the 7th November, yet frequently heard them. Early on 

 that morning we travelled north-west to the top of a high, 

 narrow range of precipioes, overgrown with short thick scrub 



