20 



NEW ZEALAND BIRDS. 



Australia, and its habits are iu no way different from tliose of its 

 relations. Its food consists of minute Hies and insects and their 

 larviE, in the eager pursuit of Avhieh it appears to spend every moment 

 of its waking hours, moving about with great agility, and uttering at 

 short intervals a trilling note of much sweetness, though of little 

 variety. The bird is easily attracted by an imitation of this note, 

 however rudely attempted, and may be induced to fly into the open 

 Land by quickly revolving a leaf or small fern-frond, so as to repre- 

 sent the fluttering of a captive bird. Layard compares the note to 

 the creaking sound of a Avheelbarrow ; and I have sometimes heard it 

 so subdued and regular as to be scarcely distinguishable from the 

 musical chirping of the pihireinga or native cricket. 



" The Grey Warbler builds a large and remarkably ingenious 

 nest, in Avhich it lays from three to six eggs, and, as I am inclined 

 think, breeds twice in the season. The form of the nest appears to 

 be generally adapted to circumstances of locality, &c., and the accom- 

 panying woodcut will show how variable it is." — Bullek. 



23. Gerygone albofrontata. Gray. 



Above, yellowisli-brovvn ; below, wliite, with a slight yellow tinge on the abdomen ; a 

 white streak over the eye; middle tail-featlicrs, brown, with a dark band near the tip; 

 outer feather.-i, black, with a rcddish-wliite b;md. 



L., 6-3 ; AV., 2-7 ; B., '5 ; T., -8. 



ITab.^'Si.'w Zealand y (Dieffenbadi.) Mr. Henry Travers brought specimens from 

 the Chatham Islands. 



24. Gerygone sylvestris. Po/ts. 



Above, dark olivaceous ; wings, smoky-black, outer webs fringed with yellow ; abdomen 

 and under surface of wings, wliite ; neck and breast, pale grey ; tail, brown with a broad 

 band of black, the two centre feathers black, the outer feathers broadly bai-red with white, 

 and all tipped with brown. 



L, 4- J.; W., 2; B., -5 ; T. -75. 



