Reischek. — On the Habits of New Zealand Birds. 107 



During my research in 1884, at the West Coast, South 

 Island, I did not find these hirds so plentiful. I saw them here 

 near tie sea shore, also up on the high ranges, especially on 

 the outskirts of the forests, roaming about in pairs, $ and ? , 

 or with their brood, generally three in number. They are very 

 tame, but, when disturbed, are adepts in the art of hiding, either 

 under a limb in the fork of a tree, or between thick leaves. On 

 one occasion, I observed a pair of these birds at Dusky Sound. 

 One I shot ; and, not noticing the other go away, I waited, and 

 presently saw its head peeping out from behind the limb of a 

 tree, then drawing it hack ; and, repeating this action several 

 times, it eventually hopped out on the branch, looked about, 

 and, noticing me, went away very quickly. The movements of 

 this bird are exceedingly quick ; hut, from the construction of 

 the wings, it is not able to fly far, and that only when in 

 extremities. Male and female are inseparable ; the male utters 

 a very sweet whistle, consisting of six notes, as " te, to, ta, tu, 

 tu, tu" ; the call of the female is composed of five, as " te, a, 

 tu, tu, tu." At a distance it very much resembles the sound of 

 the flute. At Milford Sound, in October, 1884, I shot a crow, 

 and then concealed myself until its mate appeared, which it did 

 in a very short time ; and, to my astonishment, instead of flying 

 away when it saw me, the poor thing went to its dead 

 companion, hopping around and calling, evidently in a great 

 state of agitation. I felt so much for this bird, that I was very 

 sorry I had shot its mate, and let it go. The pairing season 

 begins in October, when the male makes extraordinary 

 evolutions before the female, similar to the European Wood 

 Grouse {Tetrao urogallus). -He bows his head about, spreads his 

 wings, and erects and spreads his tail, makmg at the same time 

 a gurgling noise. They build their nests in thick scrub, not far 

 from the ground, of twigs and moss. In the beginning of 

 December the female lays from two to three eggs. Mr. 

 Docherty and Mr. Sutherland told me that they have found 

 their eggs in December and January. The young birds are full- 

 grown in May, but they remain with their parents until the 

 pairing season. The scarcity of these birds near habitations is 

 due to their confidence, through which they often fall a prey to 

 cats and men, which are their worst enemies. They are rather 

 dry for eating. Their food consists of berries and young leaves, 

 which I have found in their crops. I procured specimens. 



