12 M'Lean, Bush-Birds of New Zealand. [ist^Xi • 



of one of the pair was heard, and on looking up I saw the Falcon, 

 who had left his look-out, a quarter of a mile distant, and was 

 hurrying out to meet the intruder, who, knowing what to expect, 

 had turned tail and was making back down the valley as fast 

 as he could ; but the smaller bird soon caught up, and, together 

 with his mate, who shortly after joined in, knocked the Harrier 

 about considerably. These two swung backwards and forwards 

 over the Harrier, mounting high up with rapidly beating wings, 

 and then swooping fast down on the enemy, who turned on his 

 side and endeavoured to avoid each blow. First one and then 

 the other cut in at him in rapid succession. Once he was made 

 to turn a complete somersault, and had barely recovered him- 

 self when number two shook him up again. This lasted about 

 five minutes, the Harrier making no fight at all, but, with 

 a definite course set, doing his best to get away from the locality. 

 The smaller -of the two Falcons was silent, did not attack so 

 fiercely, and towards the end returned to the bush. The mate, 

 however, which, from its size, was probably the female, continued, 

 and was very demonstrative. As she mounted up after each 

 stroke she called a shrill " Keet-keet-keet " — a note audible at a 

 considerable distance. After clearing off the Harrier she re- 

 turned with rapidly beating wings to her mate, chattering as she 

 flew, as if still much excited. In the tussle this Harrier lost a 

 primary, and I was much surprised to see him next day in trouble 

 with the same pair of Bush-Hawks, who gave him a still warmer 

 reception, and hunted him much farther down the valley than 

 on the previous day. There I passed him later on, sitting 

 dejectedly on a stump. 



In the lower open country the Bush-Hawk is seldom seen, and 

 then only in winter. I have never seen a Falcon about the 

 cultivated plains of the coast. It is thought that only males or 

 young birds leave the high, rough country at this time, for those 

 remarked appeared to be small birds. The immediate cause of 

 the Bush-Hawk's absence from the more settled parts, and its 

 increasing scarcity on the higher, rougher country and in the bush, 

 is, of course, the gun. 



Ninox novae-zealandiae— New Zealand Owl. 



Buller, " Birds of New Zealand " (2nd edition), p. 192. 



The Morepork, though common throughout, was more plentiful 

 on the northern side. On the birch ridge, where there were many 

 hollow trees, it was a nightly visitor to our camps, and on some 

 evenings (more so than on others) was particularly noisy. Usually 

 more in evidence in the earlier part of the night, these Owls did 

 not seem to be influenced in their cries by the season of the year, 

 but in windy weather were less frequently heard. Moonlight or 

 pitch dark, it made no difference. I was unable to ascertain why 

 it was that they could be so much more vociferous on certain 

 nights than on others. It was fancied, though, that the advent 

 of strange Owls among those who generally made a rendezvous 

 about the camp may have had something to do with it. 



