■] M'Lkan, Bush-Birds of New Zealand. 



I«I 



definite Frequently the highest note of the three takes the place 

 of the slurred notes, and it sounds like No. 5. But there are many 

 settings of all these notes, often in a slightly higher or lower key, 

 and it is impossible to give them : but whatever set of notes is 

 sounded, they generally conclude with either the two last — some- 

 times the three last— notes of the chime (No. 3). No. 7 was a £et 

 heard on 3th April, 1906. The single note, " Poeing," already 

 remarked, is represented in No. 6. It is quite a common one on 

 dull days, and is called for some considerable time, at intervals 

 of a few seconds, from some higher tree, and has little to re- 

 commend it. However, on finer days in spring, many charming 

 notes are to be heard at intervals from these birds, somewhat 

 startling, perhaps, when heard at close quarters — for they are 

 all more or less staccato — but varied in volume as the bird directs 

 its head in different directions. Like the Tui, also, they indulge 

 in many sucking or sobbing, wheezing and coughing notes, but, 

 unlike that bird, sound them only in a low, subdued voice, so 

 that they are only audible at close quarters. 



On 5th April " a female Bell-Bird flew into the branches over- 

 head, and, after ho})ping suspiciously about in front of me, settled 

 down within 14 feet. Suddenly it launched out into song. With 

 body bent and head advanced it puffed its feathers, and then, 

 with swelling throat, produced the peal mentioned above (No. 7). 

 Now turning and bowing to the right and then to the left, it 

 uttered these clear notes, and finished with a perfect rendering 

 of the sucking, guttural notes of a Tui, but very low, and no 

 doubt inaudible at a greater distance. Then again the peal was 

 sounded, but this time interspersed with the Tui's notes in low 

 variations. At 2 p.m. a Bell-Bird called its double ' Poeing '— 

 a squeaking, metallic whistle— three times inside ten seconds ; 

 then, after a minute's pause, it continued, at short, irregular 

 intervals, seven times. Then again, at about five seconds between 

 each call, for twenty-two times." 



In the nei-nei scrub a nest was observed on 27th September. 

 I saw a bird carrying material, and so discovered the nest, but I 

 never actually saw the birds at work. On visiting the spot a day 

 or two later it was found that the men had felled the scrub. The 

 nest was placed in the small twigs of a low tawhera growing in a 

 more open part of the scrub, and was only about 6 feet 6 inches 

 from the ground. It resembled a Tui's nest, but was somewhat 

 smaller, and was lined with the fronds of a trailing ground plant 

 called by the bushmen " Creeping Jenny." These were of an 

 orange hue, and gave the nest quite a peculiar appearance. 



Though common not so many years ago in certain parts of 

 somewhat lower country in this district, the Bell-Bird has, with 

 the bush of those localities, almost disappeared. Outside the 

 main bush it may still be noted in a few of the scattered areas of 

 scrubby bush which yet remain. But even there it clings to the 

 higher hills of lighter bush and does not, as in the South Island, 

 resort to neighbouring shrubberies and gardens, nor does it visit 



