100 THE ANIMALS OF NEW ZEALAND 



Genus Certhi par US- 

 First primary about two-thirds of the second. Tail feathers 

 frayed at the ends, the shafts projecting. Tarsi with five or six 

 scuteUffi. which are never united. Feet moderate, the middle toe 

 and claw four-fifths of the tarsus; hind claw shorter than the 

 bill. New Zealand only. 



The Whitehead. — Popokotea. 

 Certliipanis alhicapillus. 



Head, breast, and abdoinen lnownish white. Back and tail bro\\Ti. 

 Wing feathers dark brown. Eye bhick. IxMigtli of the wing, 2.8 in.; 

 of the tarsus, 1 in. Egg — \\'hite, faintly speckled with pink; length, 

 0.9 in. The sexes are alike. In the young the head and lower surface 

 are greyish white. North Island only. 



Whiteheads belong exclusively to the North Island, but they 

 have close relatives in the South, with the same habits and 

 characteristics, but with bright yellow caps instead of white 

 ones. The tw^o species are popularly classed together as "bush 

 canaries. ' ' I had hardly entered the bush on the slopes of a hill 

 near the landing-place at Kapiti Island when I heard a noisy 

 twittering in the distance. It was indistinct at first, and could 

 barely be heard above the rustling of the leaves in the breeze. 

 It came nearer and grew louder, until tlie higher branches seemed 

 to be filled with it. Then a dozen little birds flitted into view 

 They were the busiest birds imaginable. Their affairs seemed t<> 

 be of the utmost urgency. The excitement that prevailed was 

 intense. They were never silent and never at rest. They turned 

 -completely round with one hop oft' the branch, and with another 

 hop tliey turned hm^k again. I watched them for several minutes, 

 trying in vain to fathom the cause of their activity. They had 

 no time, apparently, to feed upon the insects on the tree, but as 

 soon as they saw me underneath, they peeped down over the 

 ibranches and through the leaves, and gave many signs of the 

 interest and curiosity my presence had aroused in their breasts. 



Their cries have very little variety, but are not at all 

 monotonous. They are like, "Chee, chee, chee; chee, chee, cliee; 

 chee, chee, chee," repeated time after time, without end. By 



