192 Transactions. — Zoology. 



cai^ercailzie [Tetrao urogallus), and whistles to the female, who 

 sits still and seems to admire her companion's movements. 



Their limits are growing narrower, owing to ravages of bush- 

 fires and of cats and rats. 



Orthonyx albicilla. — White-head {Popokatea). 



This bird is found in the North Island, in both the lower 

 and higher ranges. The first pair I saw was on the Tokatea 

 Eanges near Castlehill, in April, 1880 ; the second on Hauturu 

 Island, where they are plentiful, in October, 1880. I shot a 

 pair on the Pirongia Eanges in February, 1882, and about the 

 end of April I saw another pair at the Mokau. I never saw this 

 bird on the mainland north of Auckland. Mr. T. Cheeseman, 

 F.L.S., told me that eight or ten years ago these birds were 

 quite common about Auckland, but they have now completely 

 disappeared. Strange to say, on my second trip to Hauturu 

 Island, in 1883, I was agreeably surprised to find that since 

 my visits in 1880 and 1882 the white-head had increased in 

 numbers. Its movements are similar to those of the European 

 cole titmouse (Panis major), hopping and climbing about, and 

 sometimes hanging by the feet under the branch of a tree, 

 picking into the bark for insects and small seeds. It is a lively 

 inquisitive little bird, any noise in the bush attracts a flock of 

 them, which come near with a shrill whistle, stopping a little 

 while to see what it is, and then flying away again. It prefers 

 certain localities, and there are always several j)airs together. 

 In December, 1882, I noticed that the same pairs came in the 

 morning and evening near one of my whares, and tbey were so 

 tame that I could observe them feeding their young from the 

 door. The male and female build the nest (which is very neat) 

 together, out of twigs, moss, and grass, and line it with feathers, 

 from 8 to 16 feet above the ground, in very thick trees, manuka. 

 At the end of October the female lays four eggs, of a pinkish 

 colour, with light-brown spots. I have also found this bird's 

 eggs in December, so they must breed twice a year. This they 

 do together. 



One evening, at the Little Barrier, hearing a noise, I 

 cautiously approached, and from my concealment saw a more- 

 pork following a white-head, near a nest. The male imme- 

 diately tried to divert and allure it away, which he succeeded in 

 doing by hopping further and farther, calling the whole time, 

 and on being pursued darted into the thickest scrub, where it 

 was impossible for his larger enemy to follow. I then lost sight 

 of him, but, on going back, to my surprise I found he had already 

 returned, and was hopping round the nest, on which the female 

 was sitting on eggs, which I forwarded to Dr. Buller. 



I found a few specimens of the white-head in the Rimutaka 

 Ranges, near Wellmgton, in October, 1884. There are also some 



