THE TUI 107 



Its nest is made up of moss and grass, and although fragile in 

 appearance, it is in reality of great strength. It is firmly secured 

 to a forked twig by silky threads of spiders' webs. It is finished 

 on the outside, round the bottom, with braces of green leaves of 

 grass, crossed and recrossed, which adds much to the strength 

 and stiffness of the fabric. Three or four eggs are laid in the 

 nest. 



Before 1856, the white-eye was unknown to either Europeans 

 or Maoris in New Zealand, and, when it came here, in that year, 

 the latter named it "tau-hou," which means "stranger." By 

 1861 it had spread all over the South Island, and the southern 

 parts of the North Island, though it did not reach Auckland until 

 1865. It has also appeared in the Chatham Islands, the Snares, 

 the Auckland Islands, and the Campbell Islands, and has become 

 naturalised there. Its presence here shows that the passage 

 across the Tasman Sea is possible even for some small land-birds. 

 The distance, as the crow flies, is about a thousand miles ; and it 

 must take a bird, flying at ordinary speed, from twenty-four to 

 thirty-six hours to accomplish the journey. 



Genus Prostliemadera. 

 Bill rather longer than the head. Fifth and sixth quills nearly 

 equal and longest ; the third to the sixth sinuated on their outer 

 -edges. Tail long and rounded. New Zealand only. 



The Tui.— Tui or Koko. 

 Prostliemadera novae-zealandiae. 

 Bluish or greenish black, with white streaks on the back of the neck, 

 and a white spot on each wing. Throat ornamented with two tufts of 

 white curly feathers. Eye dark brown. Length of the wing, 6.5 in.; 

 of the tarsus, 1.5 in. The sexes are alike. The young are slaty black 

 with a light patch on the breast. Egg — White or pale pink spotted 

 with rufous brown, principally towards the larger end; length, 1.3 in. 

 Both islands, Chatham Islands, Auckland Islands. 



Although the tui is called the "parson bird," on account of 

 the little tuft of white feathers that sticks out from its throat. 



