Cock Robin's Counterfeits 



which had been reared in the London Zoo. 

 This readiness to accommodate itself to cir- 

 cumstances gives reason to hope that the blue- 

 bird could be successfully introduced to other 

 countries, such as New Zealand, where native 

 insectivorous birds are few, and pretty, harmless 

 exotics a desideratum. 



It is true that in New Zealand there are two 

 species of robin already ; though, as neither has 

 a red breast, or, indeed, any bright colour 

 about its plumage, it must be only their familiar 

 habits and obvious relationship to the English 

 bird that have given them the name. But these 

 birds are hardly likely to take the home robin's 

 place ; indeed, the North Island species is now 

 almost extinct, sharing the sad lot that has 

 fallen on so many of the inhabitants of that 

 beautiful land ; and the Maories see in its fate 

 the prognostication of their own, saying that 

 even as the " Pitoitoi " has disappeared from 

 the woods, so will their race die out before the 

 white man. 



Australia has robins too, very nearly related 

 to the genuine article, and much more beautiful 

 in plumage ; that is to say, as far as the male 

 birds go, for the hen's plumage is always plain, 

 unlike that of our robin's mate, who is practically 

 indistinguishable from her husband. The most 

 familiar of these Southern robins is gorgeous in 



'°5 



