106 Transactions. — Zoology. 



swam after, but on his approach it dived rapidly, coming always 

 nearer tbe land, tbe dog being so close tbat I could not fire 

 again. Tbe bird managed to get asbore, and ran swiftly into 

 tbe busb, tbe dog following ; but in a sbort time be returned 

 witb a black wood-ben, wbicb, on skinning next morning, I 

 saw bad a number of sbot in tbe neck and body. I was 

 surprised at these birds being sucb expert swimmers and divers. 

 Sometimes tbey followed me long distances to tbe camp, and 

 carried everything tbey could manage, such as spoons, knives, 

 candles, etc., away, if I forgot to secure everything well. In 

 September, during a severe thunder and snow storm, one of 

 the black wood-bens actually came into the hut wbere I was 

 working, to take shelter, and it stayed a considerable time. 



The breeding season, Mr. Docherty told me, is in January, 

 when they lay from two to three eggs. I saw in April two 

 females, with three young birds each, fully feathered. Tbey 

 were duller in plumage and smaller in size than the parents. 

 Male and female do not differ in plumage, but there is a slight 

 difference in size, the latter being smaller. These birds vary 

 much in plumage, but jet-black ones are rare. They come 

 out from their biding places in tbe evening, or on dull days, 

 when one can hear their melancholy whistle, consisting of three 

 notes, "w, o, e," especially before bad weather. Their move- 

 ments are very quiet. They scratch with their legs, and pick 

 with their bill in rotten wood or earth for insects, in a similar 

 manner to the domestic fowls. They also prey on rats, young 

 birds and their eggs, then lizards, fish, Crustacea, and berries. 

 These, with shells and small stones for digestion, I have found 

 in their crops. I never saw these birds using their wings. 

 When skinned they make delicious broth, also their meat is 

 good to eat. I procured specimens. 



Glaucopis cinerea, Gml. — Orange- wattled Crow (Ko/cako). 



This species represents, in the South Island, tbe Glaucopis 

 uilsoni of tbe North ; but the plumage is a little lighter, a 

 light slate color ; and one-half of tbe wattle orange, the other, 

 dark blue. The wattles of the young birds are smaller and 

 much lighter. This bird haunts open places with low scrub. 

 When I was on the West Coast, South Island, in 1877, I saw 

 this bird on Arthur's Pass, about 3,000 feet above the sea- level, 

 sitting on a stone a few feet in front of me. In January, 1878, 

 on Mount Alexander, about 2,000 feet above the sea-level, I met 

 it everywhere, hopping very swiftly amongst low scrub and 

 stones. I also found it on the ranges on the left bank of tbe 

 Teremakau Eiver, but not so frequently, as they have a 

 preference for certain localities. The shepherds have told me 

 that these birds only come down to the lowlands during severe 

 winters. 



