^"'^-g,-^'-] .M'Li:an, Biish-Dirds of Sciu Zealand. 175 



The Whitehead is very inquisitive, als(j very noisy ; and the 

 male especially seems ever on the look-out lor an oj^portunity to 

 draw a crowd and create a disturbance. The whine of a Tui or 

 passing of a Pigeon is quite sufficient to upset them, and even 

 when feeding they continually call to each other with sharp notes, 

 as if expecting to meet with something strange at every step. 

 The Shining Cuckoo (Chalcococcyx liicidits) is, of course, disliked 

 by all the smaller birds, and instantly takes Hight when met by 

 the Whiteheads ; but the unfortunate Owl, or ]\Iorei)ork, their 

 special enemy, was forced to remain and endure much from the 

 noisy flock and those small birds, such as Warblers and Fantails, 

 who were within hearing of the summons, until he managed to 

 reach some darker part. It was rarely that the Tit took a hand, 

 while the Tui and the Bell-Bird never ventured close, but flashed 

 through the neighbouring trees and added their alarm notes to 

 the din. 



In the })resence of man the Whiteheads e.\hil)it much curiosity, 

 and the discovery is at once announced by a sharp " Chirrt " 

 from the nearest bird. This note is immediately taken up by all 

 the members of the flock, who quickly assemble in the tree-tops 

 overhead, and with many harsh, spluttered notes hop lower and 

 nearer through the branches. There, with lowered wings and 

 widespread tails, they closely scrutinize and scold until one or 

 two of the more inquisitive have, by a close approach, satisfied 

 themselves. Then the noise gradually subsides, and the flock 

 moves on, their notes at last being lost in the bush ; but an 

 imitation of the harsh alarm note when a flock is thus at hand sets 

 every bird in a rage, when all their actions are much intensified, 

 and then the smaller birds assemble. The turning over of a leaf 

 of a pocket-book is sufficient to increase the volume of sound, 

 and any movement makes it louder. This may be kept up until 

 the experimenter tires, and, keeping quiet, allows the noisy mob 

 to retire. 



Had it not been for the timber- felling, which, ])y disturbing 

 the Owls, helped indirectly towards all this, less, no doubt, would 

 have been heard of the Whitehead. 



The Whitehead is just as likely to come across a wide-awake 

 Bush-Hawk resting amid the trees as he is to discover a blinking 

 Morepork driven from its dark retreat by the falling trees, and 

 I cannot say whether he distinguishes between the two ; but, 

 judging by the way he incites the flock to mob the Owl, it may be 

 assumed that he would hardly pass without showering some abuse 

 upon the Falcon. Although it was never my luck to witness such 

 a meeting, I have seen a Bush-Hawk plucking a Whitehead on 

 the ground where, ten minutes previously, the flock had given me 

 a rally, and proof was not wanting in the little patches of feathers 

 occasionally noticed in the bush, that they sometimes get in the 

 Falcon's way. 



The call is a short " Cheet." sometimes " Ter-cheet," of in- 

 quiring tone, and is heard continually from the flock The alarm 



