158 BIRDS OF THE WATER 



the nest is placed among trails of supple- 

 jacks and bush vine or lawyers, never in 

 too thick a clump, however, and always at 

 twenty or thirty feet from the ground. 



The nest is about the size of a Black- 

 bird's, or Thrush's, but not so deep or 

 compact, and is always finished with an 

 edge of manuka twigs. It is only loosely 

 secured on its site and many Tuis' nests 

 are blown from their moorings during 

 smnmer gales. The graceful eggs are much 

 pointed and white, or white shot with a 

 very pale rose or pink. 



Both nests under the camera this year 

 were built on matapos. The Tui feeds her 

 nestlings on fuchsia and probably other 

 berries, and supplies of some sort were 

 also gathered from the matapos in the 

 vicinity. 



The Tui very strongly resents the presence 

 of other birds in the vicinity of his nest. 

 In the Kaihekatearoa bush, where their 

 nests were so numerous this season, McLean 

 saw one pursuing a pigeon, nor did the 

 persecution cease, even when it settled, the 

 unappeased Tui sidling up the branch and 



