244 Mr. E. L. Layard^s Oj-nit ho logical Notes 



The large Kite [Hieracidea nova-zelandice) is not unfrequent, 

 flying over the fields, hunting for larks or a stray chicken. It 

 also haunts the rivers, preying on dead fish. I was told that a 

 game-cock was seen to defend his seraglio against nine repeated 

 attacks of one of these Hawks, each time meeting his adversary 

 in his "stoop/' knocking him over and spurring him gallantly : 

 the Hawk eventually retreated. I saw a somewhat similar 

 combat between the little Hieracidea hrunnea and a Cochin " hen 

 with one chick." The gallant mother threw herself between 

 the pounce of the Hawk and her little one, and the former 

 bounded off from her well-covered breast as from a mass of 

 india-rubber, and fell to the ground, cowed and baffled : three 

 times he came up to the attack, but finally flew off dinnerless. 



On that curious and almost inaccessible island, the " Little 

 Barrier," I procured a single specimen of an apparently vei-y rare 

 bird — the Creadion carunculatus. We were attracted to it by 

 its harsh, disagreeable cry. I never saw but this one, which, un- 

 fortunately, was cut to pieces by the shot. It is said that the 

 Kiwi exists in large numbers on this lonely island, but we did 

 not see any tracks. The natives also affirm that on Cuvier 

 Island, between the "Great Barrier" and the main island, there 

 exists a Tui, or Parson-bird, with red bands instead of white. 

 They have a tradition connecting this peculiarity with some 

 murder committed on the island in bygone years, the particulars 

 of which have escaped my memory. 



The " Huia" [Neomorpha guuldii), ever a rare bird, is said to 

 be almost extinct. The tail-feathers are still much sought after 

 to adorn the heads of the chiefs. It is singular that birds not 

 now so much used as food by the natives should be scarce and 

 more wary than in olden times, when they formed one of the 

 staple articles of diet. Can this arise from their fear at the sound 

 of fire-arms ? 



Many birds were formerly captured simply with a snare at 

 the end of a stick, which the Maori passed over the neck of the 

 unsuspicious victim. Some species were speared, the native 

 standing at the foot of a tree, and passing his weapon up 

 through the branches till within half a foot of the bird's breast, 

 when a sudden thrust sent the barbed point home, and the bird 



