2 M'Lean, The Fern-Bird of New. Zealand. [ond^'juiy 



raupo, one obtains a glimpse of the bird threading its way from 

 blade to blade with halting, cautious, little flights towards the 

 intruder, and calling a sharp " tu-'t " as each fresh step is taken. 

 Probably it will come within a couple of yards, only to retire 

 and execute a flanking movement. This goes on for some time, 

 the bird working from flank to flank and keeping out of sight as 

 much as possible. An imitation of its cry will cause it to 

 become more excited and inquisitive. When one is eel-fishing 

 in the summer evenings, its sharp call is sometimes heard, and 

 the rustling of the reeds denotes its presence. This note is 

 often heard till late on in the evening if the bird has been 

 disturbed. It keeps low down in the vegetation, and is rarely 

 seen near the tops of the raupo blades. 



While moving among the vegetation the tail is continually 

 being depressed ; this is very noticeable when the bird is work- 

 ing its way up or along a blade. I suspect the tail is used as a 

 support in climbing about, and have found it very much abraded in 

 specimens examined. The bird's flight is very feeble, and it 

 only takes wing when suddenly startled in short or scattered 

 vegetation, and it then makes a direct flight to the nearest cover. 

 Its great trouble seems to be in attempting to raise itself in the 

 air, but I have noticed that in skipping from one strip of raupo 

 to another low down it moves across the space with a smart 

 undulating flight. It soon tires if pushed. A pair was once 

 easily run down in some short, scattered fern, but no sooner was 

 one placed in my pocket than it was out again like a mouse, 

 and, although at last both were, as I thought, safely shut up in 

 my saddle bag, both escaped on the way homie. It is quite 

 impossible to catch one among rushes or tussocks, through 

 which it travels like a mouse. Only once have I seen an 

 extended flight by a bird which must have received an awful 

 start from my dog in a large, level stretch of rushes, over the 

 tops of which it stuggled with depressed tail for fully fifty yards 

 before dropping into cover. 



Sir Walter Buller notes the possession of a strong scent by this 

 bird, and I, too, have remarked sporting dogs taking notice of it. 

 My first nest was discovered by my spaniel being attracted to 

 the tussock in which it was placed and disturbing the sitting 

 bird. 



I have examined the crops of several of these birds and found 

 them to contain the remains of insects, and in one case a number 

 of pieces of the shells of a small freshwater snail. 



The Fern-Bird is also called " Utic," from its call, and "Swamp- 

 Wren." The Maories have quite a number of names for it, 

 mostly in resemblance of the call — for instance, Koro-a-ti — but 

 perhaps Mata is more commonly used. 



The Fern-Bird has no song, but possesses a number of calls 

 which are difficult to express on paper. The note most frequently 



