CoLENSO. — Bush Notes. 483 



Astelia grew in the angle of a branch over the entrance. 

 When their young were hatched it was quite a sight to see 

 the parent birds continually flying down to the stream and 

 returning with a small fish in their bills. On one or two 

 occasions, when I timed them, each of the birds would go and 

 return in about six minutes. I noticed they were not both 

 absent together. 



The interesting little flycatcher, with its monotonous sharp 

 and short cry, which always seems to prefer making the 

 acquaintance of man in the forest solitudes, I have seen but 

 few of during this visit. By imitating its cry, or, rather, I 

 think, the cry of its young, it will keep about one, gradually 

 coming nearer and nearer, flitting from branch to branch, and 

 incessantly displaying its tail-feathers. To me, when alone in 

 the woods, this dear little bird is ahvays welcome as a pleasing 

 companion. 



To know 

 That which before us lies in daily life 

 Is the prime wisdom. ^^.^^^^^ 



4. On the Great Bcmity of a Spider's Web. 



While standing in the doorw^ay of a solitary outhouse here 

 at Dannevirke, I noticed a large and perfect spider's web, 

 which had been recently constructed by a species of spider 

 commonly called " the geometrical spider," from the extreme 

 regularity of the concentric circles of its work. Smaller yet 

 similar webs of the same kind I had often observed about the 

 fences of my grounds at Napier ; this one, however, was a very 

 fine specimen, extending from the top corner of the open door- 

 way to the eaves, and quite perfect, the part filled up with 

 concentric circles or cross-lines being about llin. in diameter. 

 Half the width of the web con taiued forty-five equidistant cross- 

 lines, each being about 1 line apart. It was cunningly and 

 well secured by both long and short guys, while around the 

 central portion, for about l^in., where the little architect was 

 resting, was still unfinished. But the peculiar and attracting 

 beauty of the structure arose from the manner of its appear- 

 ance when the sun shone brightly and directly on it, every 

 line displaying all the colours of the rainbow, glistening 

 gloriously, which was also greatly increased by their slightly 

 tremulous or minutely rippling motion. The sun's rays were 

 prismatically divided and rendered, and their lovely micro- 

 scopical refrangibility was very great — quite dazzling to the 

 eyes. It was " a thing of beauty " — of natural beauty — to be 

 seen, closely observed, admired, and never to be forgotten ! I 

 was so struck with it that I repeated my visits to the place to 

 see it. I had before not unfrequently noticed a single line 

 of spider's web briefly so acted upon by the rays of light. 



