74 M'Lean, Bush-Birds of New Zealand. r2nd'o'ct 



grassed country which edged the Mauga-Haumia bush they were 

 always present ; and on the severest winter morn they seemed to 

 rather enioy the cold, and played among the clumps of scrubby 

 second-growth, pausing now and then to call from a thickly- 

 frosted log or stump, then dashing, with the very best of spirits, 

 after insects in the air. There, on the log-strewn southern spurs, 

 I saw much of them, where, as in the bush, they remain each 

 pair about its own particular patch, and quick to resent the 

 appearance of any small bird, like the Fantail or Warbler, which 

 may be loitering in the vicinity. The Pied Tit seldom responds 

 to the Whitehead's summons, but rather takes it upon himself 

 alone to abuse ; and I have seen a male thus engaged, for fully 

 twenty minutes, persistent in his attack u})on a Morepoik (Owl), 

 without another bird to help him. 



The Pied Tit is purely an insectivorous bird, obtaining most 

 of its food upon or near the ground and from among the lower 

 branches, rarely ascending to any height in the trees for that 

 purpose. From its low perch it is quick to locate anything in 

 the moss or leaves upon the ground below, and quickly drops 

 upon the insect, which, if a large one, is soon killed with a smart 

 blow or two and carried off to some branch above. Both sexes 

 also display dexterity in taking slow-flying insects on the wing. 

 I was much amused at the antics of a Tit which had pounced 

 upon one of our larger moths ; and his task almost proved too 

 great, for he" could not hold the big fluttering creature. In the 

 struggle both came to the ground, and then an extraordinary 

 exhibition was witnessed. The moth was evidently injured, and 

 could not rise, but fluttered strongly, as moths do, in all directions, 

 while the Tit, in his endeavours to catch and hold the insect, was 

 tripping and falling into ludicrous positions. The moth was so 

 large that on occasions, as they tumbled about, it looked as if it 

 were the aggressor I fully expected the Tit to give in, but he 

 was quite game, and, after about a minute of this rough-and- 

 tumble, got the upper hand, killed the moth, and flew off with 

 it into a neighbouring tree. On examining the ground I found 

 a wing, which proved to be that of Hepialus vi'-'escens, whose 

 extent of wing is about 3i inches. When visiting a party at work 

 in the bush I sometimes noticed one or two Tits close at hand 

 in the stuff just felled, often only a few yards from the axes. 

 Attention would probably be drawn to them by their skipping 

 out to avoid a falling tree ; but back they would go. until 

 frightened out again, loth to leave such a feast of dislodged grubs 

 and insects as was there. Naturally, they were fond of thus 

 attaching themselves to the gangs, and would remain near amid 

 the felled timber for the greater part of the day. 



The good-fellowship which seemingly exists among the males 

 during the winter months entirely disappears in the spring, and 

 the reverse side of their character is most pronounced when 

 pairing starts. Then they become perfect little demons. Pairing, 

 with its inevitable combats, becomes general about the end of 



