BuLLER. — On the Ornithology of New Zealand. 11 



December — that the Tui poses as a songster, and shows off 

 to the greatest perfection.' Whilst the hen-bird is sitting the 

 male is accustomed to perch himself on the high limb of a tree 

 not far distant from his mate, using this as a post of outlook ; 

 and then, throughout the whole day, he pours out his soul in 

 song. Puffing out his body-feathers and gesticulating freely, 

 so as to give greater emphasis to his song, he produces quite a 

 medley of musical notes, interspersed at intervals with that 

 peculiar cough, and a sound not unlike the breaking of a pane 

 of glass, followed by a series of gentle sobs. Then, quick as 

 thought, he dashes upwards and makes a wide cu'cuit in the 

 air, or silently dives into the bush to exchange courtesies with 

 his mate, snaps at a fly on the way, and then returns to 

 his post of observation and song. After sunset, and as the 

 shadows of evening begin to darken the forest, he alters his 

 song, and utters a succession of notes like the tolling of a 

 distant bell. Many of the passages in the Tui's ordinary song 

 are of surpassmg sweetness, and so rapid is the change from 

 one set of notes to another that one never tires of listening to 

 the wild melody. Both sexes sing, but in the breeding season 

 the female confines her efforts to a produced note like the low 

 chirping of a turkey-hen. As already mentioned, the male 

 has an evening song quite distinct from that of the bright 

 morning. To many ears it has a resemblance to the tolling 

 of a highly pitched silver bell, but to me it is more suggestive 

 of the distant tapping on a metal anvil. Of course, these 

 resemblances are merely fanciful, but the musical cadence of 

 the note is exquisite, as all who are familiar with it will 

 readily admit. '^' 



In one of my former papers I referred to the beautiful 

 collection of New Zealand rarities, as well as birds from all 

 other parts of the world, brought together by the Eev. Canon 

 Tristram, F.E.S., at Durham, and I expressed the hope that 

 so valuable a collection might ultimately find a resting-place 

 in some public museum. I am glad to say that this hope has 

 been realised, and that it is now safely lodged in the Liver- 

 pool Museui.3, under the charge of Dr. H. O. Forbes, formerly 

 Curator of the Canterbury Museum, who, at any rate, can 

 fully estimate the value of New Zealand rarities. And I may 

 here mention an interesting piece of information conveyed in 

 Canon Tristram's last letter. He says, "I do not know if you 

 have heard of the ' find ' at Liverpool. Forbes came across 

 two cases in some corner of the Museum. They had been 

 received from the then Lord Derby, probably soon after 1845. 



* On a quiet summer eveniug the Tui may sometimes be beard long 

 after dusk. On the wooded shores of the Papaitonga Lake I have heard 

 them tolling up to 9 o'clock at night, the notes having a very sweet eSect 

 on the water. 



