AND OTHER BIRDS 71 



di-ivoii off. From the blossoming ironwoods 

 later in the season he was less easy to dislodge. 

 It was entertaining to Avatch, how, on the cessa- 

 tion of these combats, the ruffled Tni at once 

 returned to his mate. Preening his feathers in 

 her company, 1 always felt sure he was courting 

 acclaim, bragging of his prowess, and boasting 

 of the bellyers he had got in from beneath. 



Besides these larger birds, Fantails, Warblers, 

 and Tits were in great jn'ofusion. Pigeons were 

 also jdentiful ; but I think the bulk of their 

 numbers, and, quite possibly, a large proportion 

 of the Kaka too, may have made an even more 

 extended flight, and have temporarily left 

 Stewart Island for the mainland. 



In view of these great bird movements — I 

 have noticed them on Tutira amongst ground 

 birds too — it is difficult indeed to arrive at con- 

 clusions as to the numbers of our natives still 

 left. Here in Stewart Island I knew a vertical 

 migi'ation had occurred bc^tween mid-autumn 

 and early spring; but it was impossible even to 

 guess from what area the birds had been drawn. 

 Undoul)tedly the Kaka and Pigeon were, during 

 March, in vast numbers over the few hundred 

 acres on either side of the Rakiahua, along 

 whose banks I was then working; but this con- 

 centration might have occurred only in that 

 single district, and every Pigeon and every 

 Kaka might have been collected there from over 

 the whole of Stewart Island. Kaka, Pigeon, Bell- 

 bird, and Tui, may, therefore, be very plentiful 

 in these southern woods or they may be sparse 

 in numbers and scattered far apart. On the 

 whole, however, I am glad to be able to say that 

 I favour the former alternative. I believe that 

 these species are still very plentiful. 



