AND OTHER BIRDS ^^^ 



light admitted. The song of these iinisical 

 visitors always ended in a tolling chorus con- 

 tinned for some little while. There is also a 

 silvery "tinkle" note, which again, alone, would 

 fitly entitle the species to its name. Many of 

 the Bell-bird's notes and fragments must be 

 extremely like those of the Tui, for on Tutira 

 where the Bell-bird is extremely rare — I have 

 seen but a single specimen in thirty years, — 

 I have noticed a friend who intimatelj^ knew 

 both birds by sight, listening to the Tui and 

 quite confidently affirming the notes heard to 

 be those of the Bell-bird. 



Each species, doubtless, has distinctive notes, 

 but it may be that others are so slightly 

 differentiated, that only listeners gifted with the 

 very finest of musical ears, and thoroughly 

 acquainted with the two species, in forests wliere 

 both are abundant, can speak with authority. 

 Each species, it must be remembered, is an 

 excellent mimic, and who can say whether often 

 the Bell-bird may not have temporarily picked 

 up the Tui 's note, or the latter those of the Bell- 

 bird. Birds have so many notes, and some of 

 them so rarely in use, that all sorts of errors are 

 apt to occur in this department of observation. 

 I can, moreover, imagine a mistake that would 

 vitiate the listener's whole conclusions and 

 which might happen in a very simple way; he 

 would distinguish the two birds on the same tree 

 and even continue to hold both in view; but a 

 slight movement and the intervention of a few 

 leaves might temporarily obscure the Bell-bird's 

 head, whilst the Tui on a bare branch and fully 

 exposed w^ould be pouring forth one of its 

 melodies inaudible, its shining throat throbbing 



