146 Notes from Far and Near. 



jroUing towards him, as its head could not be seen. The Maoris, 

 he adds, frequently catch Kiwis with dogs and use the feathers 

 for the better class of mats. 



Ho supi^orts the statements of other coiTespondents, that the 

 nest of the Native Pigeon is not often found. About five years ago, 

 when he was working in the Maungakaretu district, two of his work- 

 men came across a pigeon's nest witli three young ones) in it. 

 Last year another of his assistants found a pigeon's nest. On both 

 of these occasions the nests were fairly close to the ground, and 

 were built in a Mahoe tree. He believes that Pigeons build their 

 jnests chiefly in tall trees, which people are unable to climb, and 

 that is why they are not often found. 



The Shining Cuckoo is plentiful all over the district. Last 

 iDecembier he saw six of these birds in a cluster feeding on grass 

 about half a mile from the edge of the bush. Long-tailed Cuckoos 

 are not very plentiful. A few years ago he saw two during the 

 •winter. On one occasion a Long-taiLed Cuckoo alighted on a tree 

 close to where he was standing. After a short time it began to. 

 whistle, and it appeared to him tlnat it could 'throw the sound 

 in any direction. The Shining Cuckoo is believed to have the 

 tpower of ventriloquism, and Mr. Dix suggests that the dther New 

 Zealand members of the family may have the same gift. White-eyes 

 are very rare in the district, and he only once had ;the good 

 fbrtune to see a flock of them. There were abou'fc six., and he 

 watched with pleasure the thoi'ough manner in which tliey worked 

 a tree in search of insects, all the time chirping to one another.. 



Wekas are " exceedingly plentiful " both in the bush and 

 the open country. The gorse hedges provide splendid shelter for 

 them, and it is thought that it will be a long time before they 

 are killed out. He was amused at a chase he saw between a Weka 

 and a dog. It took place along the banks of the Turakino River. 

 The Weka could not obtain shelter to evade the dog, and its only 

 chance was to swim the river, It did this, and swam splendidly, 

 and got away from the dog. Some years ago, white working close ti> 

 Shannon, he discovered a Weka's nest containing eggs. The nest 

 "was situated over two feet al)ove the gi'ound. He had not long^ 

 to wait to ascertain the reason for building it at that height. A 

 flood came and stopped the survey pai'ty's work for a fortnight; 

 on their return they found that the flood had not reached the nest 

 The Bittern is becoming very rare in the district; he has seen it 

 only in the locality of Marhau Lake. The Grey Duck is not 

 ;nearly so plentiful as it was 10 years ago; it becomes very wary 

 at the opening of the shooting season. The Teal and Blue Moun- 

 tain Duck are not very plentiful. Some years ago, when working 

 in Central Otago district, he found a Paradise Duck mated to a 

 Grey Drake, with several young. — (New Zealand Herald). 



