^'°','9.^''] M'Lean, Bitsh-Birds of Neiv Zealand. 173 



sheep among the blackened stumps and logs. Far from the 

 forest or any living tree, where large charred trunks formed 

 slippery bridges across the gully, a tawa lay amid the wreckage, 

 with a small part of its to}), where it overhung the water, still 

 unconsumed. I'ndcr the slight shelter afforded by the few dead, 

 though persistent, leaves, a pair of Fantails built a splendid nest 

 (Plate X\^I.) Of course, there was a reason for this site being 

 chosen. Small insects — moths and midges — abound in the gullies 

 of the new burns, and the logs and stumjjs are netted with small 

 spiders' webs. Innumerable small grasshoppers, too, cause much 

 damage to the young grass. It is wonderful how all this insect 

 life appears in such a brief period. But it is scant compensation 

 for most of the bush-birds ; and the Tit, the Warbler, and the 

 Fantail are the only ones to take advantage of it. The birds were 

 observed building this nest on 28th September, 1907 ; there were 

 two eggs at 9 a.m. on ist October ; and on the 8th, when it was 

 photographed, the bird was sitting on the three eggs. It was 

 placed about 4 feet from the water, and was in itself quite typical. 



Our Fantail is a charming little bird, and endears itself to all 

 by its gentle nature. In the autumn it sometimes frequents the 

 verandahs in quest of small flies and moths, and even ventures 

 through the open windows in its search, to sail about the rooms. 

 In the open, scrubby country, especially in the damper parts, it 

 is very common — much more so than in the bush Pairs may 

 frequently be seen in the gardens and shrubberies, even in the 

 suburbs of the towns, where they are often resident, and, if un- 

 molested, rear their young. 

 Clitonyx albicapilla — Whitehead 



Buller, " Birds of New Zealand " (2nd edition), vol. i., p. 53. 



On the north-eastern side the Whitehead was apparently the 

 commonest s])ecies to be seen ; but, owing, no doubt, to the absence 

 of any extent of the lighter tawhera and manuka bush, I found 

 it in the following year to be less numerous on the southern part. 

 The late Sir Walter Buller's account (see above reference) led me 

 to suppose that there would be, at this later day, little chance 

 of meeting with this fast-disappearing species on the mainland. 

 In another part of this district I had known it well, where, in the 

 Wharekopae River valley, it was not uncommon about 1888, 

 among the lighter timber and tall manuka : but, notwithstanding 

 that the timber had been little interfered with, the Whitehead 

 had in 1900 almost disappeared. Thus I was agreeably surprised 

 when, in 1906, I renewed my acquaintance with this, the most 

 obtrusive of our bush-birds. In March they may be found working 

 through all classes of bush, in flocks varying from 8 or 10 individuals 

 up to as many as 70 or more. They remain gregarious throughout 

 the winter, the flocks increasing in size as the season advances. 

 In spring they break up, the pairs drawing off and showing prefer- 

 ence then for the lighter-timbered bush. Hardly a day passed 

 without seeing something of them in one part or another, and it 



