598 Transactions. 



differ slightly in pitch from those recorded on the Fork River bed, Mackenzie 

 Plains, in 1910. When the birds flew nearer, the tsit sounded on g. One 

 plunged into the water, was under for about a second, and emerged uttering 

 the cries of (6) very forcibly : the Jceeahk sounded like a cry of aggravation. 



Addendum. 



Mr. C. Howard Tripp, of Timaru, has been good enough to send the 

 following note on tuis singing in harmony :— 



" Though I was brought up close to native bush, and amongst native 

 birds, particularly the tui, or parson-bird, I have only twice heard them 

 singing in harmony, and have only met one other person who had also heard 

 them. The first time was many years ago when camping in the bush up 

 the gorge of the Orari River, when, shortly after sunrise in the summer 

 holidays, about fifty or more tuis in the trees over and adjacent to our tent 

 commenced to sing in most perfect harmony, and continued to do so for 

 fully half an hour, and without leaving their perches. The second occasion 

 was at the Orari Gorge homestead, a few years later, again on a bright 

 sunny early summer morning ; but then the harmony lasted for only about 

 five minutes. As the bush near the Orari used to be favourite places for 

 tuis, I have, of course, many times heard large numbers of tuis singing 

 together, and have listened attentively for this harmony, but failed to 

 hear it. Captain Cook, in his ' First Voyage,' describing Queen Charlotte 

 Sound, writes as follows : ' The ship lay at the distance of somewhat less 

 than a quarter of a mile from the shore ; and in the morning we were 

 awakened by the singing of the birds ; the number was incredible, and 

 they seemed to strain their throats in emulation of each other. This wild 

 melody was infinitely superior to any that we had ever heard of the same 

 kind. It seemed to be like small bells most exquisitely tuned, and perhaps 

 the distance and the water between might be no small advantage to the 

 sound.' Sir Walter Buller, I notice, in his noted book on ' The Birds of 

 New Zealand,' quotes the above in the description of the makomako, or bell- 

 bird. I am inclined to venture to doubt his correctness. If Captain Cook 

 had spoken of slightly muffled bells I should have said that Captain Cook 

 was listening to a similar harmony of tuis that I have heard twice, and 

 not the makomako. You will notice that both the occasions I heard the 

 harmony, and when Captain Cook did, was early morning. If any of the 

 members have ever heard a similar harmony I would be much obliged if 

 you would communicate with me." 



I have not heard tuis singing in harmony in the way described by Mr. 

 C. H. Tripp in the above note, but from the nature of many of the notes 

 both of the tui and bell-bird it must often happen that, when numbers of 

 the birds are singing, harmony will emerge from the body of sound. If 

 the notes of such tui themes as (63) and (67) on page 389, Trans. N.Z. 

 Inst., vol. 45, or such a bell-bird theme as (22) recorded in the present 

 volume, be sounded, it will be found that they form perfect chords ; so 

 that however many birds were singing, and no matter in what sequence 

 the different notes were sung by the different birds, the result must be 

 harmonious, whether the birds intended it or not. Mr. Tripp inclines to 

 the opinion that the birds heard by Captain Cook whilst lying in Queen 

 Charlotte Sound were tuis, rather than bell-birds ; but, so far as my limited 



