106 Mr. J. Haast on the Birds of Neiv Zealand. 



perfectly fearless, and I have seen one of them sit on my hand, 

 with which I held my paper when sketching, and peck quietly 

 at it. There are still two others, which are always near the 

 tents ; the fan-tailed Flycatcher, belonging to the family Musci- 

 capidce, veiy fond of the neighbourhood of man, and the New 

 Zealand Wren [CertMparus maculicaudus) , both never tire of 

 flying and hopping round the tents. Of the latter I observed 

 several species in the interior, which will prove to be undescribed. 

 On the sea-shore, near the mouths of rivers, we again meet with 

 the Paradise Duck; but the most numerous bird all along the 

 coast is the Torea [Hcematopus picatus). It is pleasant to see 

 this red-legged and -billed fellow run along the shore under the 

 crest of the waves, picking up the mollusks and small fishes 

 which are brought by them or remain behind when the waves 

 recede. At high-water they generally assemble together, as 

 there is not such good opportunity for fishing. Although rather 

 of a fishy taste, they ofier to the traveller who is in the posses- 

 sion of a gun sufficient material for a meal when he is in 

 want of it. Another interesting sea-bird belonging to the Gulls 

 is the Karozo, which skims rapidly over the surf, seizing the 

 shell-fish, principally Venus intermedia, on which it lives. Being 

 unable to open the shells with its beak, nature has taught 

 it another way. I very often observed how this bird rose over 

 the rocky shore, and, arriving at an altitude of 60 to 100 feet, 

 let the shell fall, so that it would break upon the rocks below. 

 Another bird, belonging to the Gannets, is also very abundant ; 

 it has a vei*y graceful flight, sailing high above the water on ex- 

 panded and almost motionless wings. Perceiving its prey, it 

 goes down like an arrow. I did not observe any bones of the 

 Moa {Dinornis, &c.), although the natives at the mouth of the 

 Grey assured me that in the swamps near Lake Hochstetter a 

 good many occur." 



