WOOD AND WASTE 151 



and appearing unconcernedly on the nest's 

 edge with moth or daddj^-long-legs. 



Unlike the Warbler, Waxeye, and Fan- 

 tail, where the percentage of destruction, 

 both of eggs and young, is very great, 

 perhaps, indeed, one-third, the Fern Bird 

 seems to suffer no great loss. The nest is 

 excellently concealed, and its site very 

 unattractive to vermin, both on account of 

 the saw-toothed sedge and the wet surround- 

 ings. The bird itself is too small to be 

 worth the pursuit of Harriers; and Wekas, 

 without great difficulty, could not obtain 

 footing on the stiff, bristling clumps where- 

 in the nest is hid. The Morepork at night, 

 even should he discover the nest, would 

 be kept off, too, by the same harsh growth. 

 In fact, the Fern Bird is likely to survive, 

 for he can obtain sustenance even in the 

 most arid and barren lands, neither does 

 a low temperature affect him unfavourably, 

 for I have noticed the bird fully two 

 thousand feet above sea level. His metallic 

 ''click," ''click," is likeh^ therefore, long to 

 be heard in the land. 



