42 llic Grey Warbler. 



birds of prey. The wise hird-!f)ver will not regret a considerable 

 "diminution of tliem ; for their inherent enmity to the smaller kinds of 



birds is particularly mischievous when the climate has lately dealt them 

 " such ri deadly stroke." 



^-M^> 



The Grey Warbler. 



Bv J. DiiUMMOND, F.L.S., F.Z.S. 



Reprinted from The A'c7v Zealand Herald (date of issue lost) with our best 

 thanks to Author and Editor — cutting- per Mr. F. Howe. — Ed. " B.N." 



The little Grey Warbler's nest is more strongly constructed, more 

 ing-enious, more highly finished, and more artistic than the nest of any other 

 native small Ijird with the excei)tion, perhaps, of the Fantail. The Grey 

 War1)ler is one of the clc\erest bird architects in these parts. It has two 

 distinct types of nests. In Itoth t\pes the nests are susnended from branches, 

 but one t\pe of nest is shaped like a soda-water bottle, and the other like a 

 pear. The former is about 6in. long, and usually is distinguished by a 

 porch, placed deftly over the hole that gives entry to the cosy interior. One 

 of these nests was found at Hororata a short time ago by boys at the school, 

 and w-as taken to Mr. G. Ouartermain, the master. The care with which the 

 little birds set about the building of these nests is demonstrated by the fact 

 that one is seldom found without having, amongst the materials of which it 

 is cf)nslructed, the dull green cocoons of the meadow sjjider. The web of 

 these cocoons is strong and adhesive, and is used for binding together leaves 

 and other materials for suspending the nest to the supjjorting branch, and 

 also, sometimes, for making a comfortable lining to the walls of the interior. 

 To human eyes almost the same result could be obtained by the use of cocoons 

 or webs Ijelonging to any other spider, or by the use even of some other 

 material, but the birds prefer the cocoons of these particular siiiders, and will 

 have nothing else. 



To satisfy their taste in this respect they must spend nnicli time 

 searching for the material, as meadow spiders are not as plentiful as they 

 might be. Another spider, closely related to the species that receives the 

 Grey Warbler's attention, makes yellowish cocoons, but although probablv, 

 the only difiference is in colour, these are never used. The dull green cocoons 

 harmoni.se with the other materials of which the nests are made, and perhaps 

 are some aid in concealment. Unless th-'s fact weighs in the Grey Warbler's 

 mind it is difficult to guess why the iireference should be given to green 

 instead of to white, yellow or black. The porch is made very ingeniously. 

 The entrance hole is about an inch wide ,-in<l ,iii inch and a quarter long. The 

 threshold is reinforced with rootlets, bound round and round by spiders' web 

 and woolly material, until it becomes I'ke a tiny hawser as large as a twig. 

 This evidently is to strengthen the nest at the place where the bird alights, 

 and where there must be considerable strain. The bird's claws can encircle 

 the threshold and hold tight while the bird puts its head inside and feeds the 



