12 Dove, Feathered Friends in New Zealand. [^nd'Tui • 



near Milford Sound I had a fine view of one of these birds 

 rising on the wing to capture flying insects. To behold a fine 

 bird h'ke the Tui enjoying his free, unharassed h'fe amid the 

 sombre beech trees at the head of the Sound is a sight that is 

 worth going far to obtain. 



Two species of Gulls are met with in great numbers on these 

 southern coasts — the Saddleback Gull {Larus dominicanus), 

 much like the Pacific Gull {Gabianus pacificus), except that the 

 black of the wings is continued across the back of the body, 

 giving the appearance of a saddle, and the Red-billed Gull 

 {Larus scopiilinus), a pretty little silver-grey fellow. These also 

 penetrate inland a considerable distance, for I saw both kinds at 

 Lake Manapouri, the " Lake of the Sinking Heart." On the 

 same waters were Duck, Black Swan, and one of the Terns- — 

 probably the White-fronted {Sterna frontalis). These last- 

 mentioned were also seen on the plains between Te Anau and 

 Manapouri. In the same locality a female Paradise Duck 

 {Casarca variegatus\ with the snow-white head which dis- 

 tinguishes her, rose from a swamp in the middle of the plain, 

 and, circling with a heavy flight, alighted near a patch of tea- 

 tree some distance away. These Ducks are numerous about the 

 head of the Sound. I counted i6 near Sutherland's, all walking 

 together, the ducks with white heads, the drakes with black. 

 While crossing a creek near Giant's Gate Fall, in the Arthur 

 Valley, we saw, on a spar about 20 or 30 yards away, a pair of 

 the Blue Mountain-Duck {Hyinenolcemus malacorJiyncJius), and 

 there they sat quite unconcernedly and allowed us to watch 

 them. How soon wild animals learn to know that they are 

 protected, showing no fear in the presence of man ! This fear- 

 lessness was one of the great charms of the trip through the 

 bush to Milford. Even the great Fruit-Pigeons, which are so 

 much sought after in most places that they become, to use a 

 common phrase, "as wild as hawks," v/ould sit on the over- 

 hanging beech branches and gaze down at us in an untroubled 

 way, as if recognising in us friends and allies. 



That fine Hawk, the Allied Harrier {Circus gouldi), is more 

 plentiful in the South Island of New Zealand than in any other 

 land in which I have travelled. On the great plains which 

 extend between Lumsden and Lake Te Anau one sees them 

 constantly, and they betray very little fear of man. Probably 

 the rabbits with which these plains are infested form the 

 the attraction, for the Harriers coast along at no great height, 

 evidently spying and searching among the tussocks to discover 

 their furry prey. 



Erratum. — In the notices of birds striking the lighthouses in 

 The Emu (vol. v., p. 109) " Ironlenda " in the South Australian 

 notice should read Trowbridge, and " H. W. Transon " should 

 read H. W. P'ranson. 



