10 Transactiofis. — Zoology. 



The only species of Woodhen that remains with us in 

 undiminished numbers is Ocydromus earli, an inhabitant of 

 the wooded country on the west coast of the South Island. 



As I have reaiarked before, the advantage to our native 

 birds of compulsory protection has been amply demonstrated 

 by results. Take, for example, the Tui. In the early days 

 of settlement this was the commonest of our birds, whilst 

 certainly not the least interesting. But some twenty years 

 ago it was becoming so scarce in all the settled districts that 

 lovers of birds became alarmed, and in the end the strong arm 

 of the law had to be invoked for its protection. As a con- 

 sequence, this species is now as plentiful as ever ; indeed, in 

 some places, it is visibly increasing. It would, of course, be 

 absurd to expect birds whose subsistence depends on bush 

 products to survive in districts where there is a wholesale 

 destruction of the forest. In the miserable little fringes of 

 native bush that are allowed to remain in such districts the 

 indigenous birds, as might have been expected, are silenced for 

 ever, and, instead of the sweet notes of the Tui, one hears the 

 twitter of the Sparrow or the call of the Californian Quail. 

 But the case is wholly different where ample bush reserves 

 have been made. I consider it one of the principal charms of 

 my country home at Papaitonga that the Tui is most plentiful 

 there, enjoying the freedom of its native woods unmolested, 

 and nesting freely vv'herever the local conditions are favour- 

 able. To add to the inducements to stay, I have planted the 

 edges of the native bush with Australian Acacia, Eucalyptus, 

 and bottle-brush, the flowers of which trees are a " perpetual 

 joy " to the Tui. 



Those who have observed this bird at all closely will be 

 aware that it is in the nesting season — from September to 



you mention the Woodhen. All about my place I have a lot of scrub and 

 (sub-alpine) bush, and the number of Woodhens that I used to have was 

 something wonderful. I think it was somewhere about five years ago 

 that they suddenly disappeared, and for three or four years their note 

 was never heard in the evenings, nor at any other times. The bush was 

 still there for them, for I never allow a stick to be cut out of it. How- 

 ever, last year 1 began occasionally, but rarely, to hear them tuning up in 

 the evenings, and this year there are hundreds of them. But they seem 

 to stick about the gardens and under the Lawsonias, cedars, &c., rather 

 than go into the bush. This, I fancy, they do so as to be handy to the 

 hens' nests, for my women say they take most of the eggs. I used to 

 have thousands of Tuis, Beil-bird?, and Pigeons: the last, of course, are 

 clean gone. But I have still a good lot of the other two, although they 

 come and go at different seasons. Just opposite my house I have got a 

 lot of kowhai-trees, which in the beginning of October are a mass of 

 yellow blossom. Then comes the holiday time for the Tuis, Bell-birds, 

 and Kakas. They are there in hundreds ; but most of them go away as 

 soon as the blossom is over, which, as you know, is but a short time. 

 However, there is never a sunshiny day in winter that I iiave not a few 

 native birds singing in my garden." 



