220 THE ANIMALS OF NEW ZEALAND 



legs of tlie birds, their postiires and actions iu this quarrel seemed 

 very grotesque. The younger and defeated pair retired to about 

 half a chain distant, where they successfully reared a family; 

 this, too, in sight of the passengers on a roadway. ' ' 



In the New Zealand bird the legs are not so long as in 

 specimens from Australia, and, perhaps, it ought to be united to 

 the next species. 



The Pied Stilt.— Poaka. 



Himantopus picatus. 



Like the last, but without the white collar on the hind neck. Tail 

 feathers edged more or less broadly with black near the tips. Eye red. 

 Length of the wing, 9.5 inches; of the tarsus, 4 inches; of the egg, 1.8 

 inch. H. spicatus of Potts appears to be a variety with the fore-neck 

 and tail black. New Zealand only. 



The pied stilt usually commences to breed in October. Its 

 habits are like those of the last species. Both of them seem to 

 perform some sort of inland migration, as they are found near 

 Napier in the summer but not in the winter, and they leave 

 Canterbury in the middle of ]\Iay, returning early in August. 



The Black Stilt.— Kakl 

 Hima )itopus vielas. 



Entirely black. Legs and feet red. Eye red. Length of the wing, 

 9.8 inches; of the tarsus, 3.55 inches. The young are more or less 

 blotched with white, with a good deal of white on the base of the tail, 

 and the throat and breast are white. Egg — Yellowish brown, spotted all 

 over with blackish brown; length, 1.8 inch. New Zealand only. 



The black stilt breeds early in the season, on sandy river-beds. 

 It is stated that the labour of nidification is very trifling. Some- 

 times a nest is made of grass, but, more frequently, a slight 

 depression in a sandy spit answers all requirements as a nesting 

 place. The nest is never very far from the water. The female 

 lays three or four eggs, and the young can run almost as soon as 

 they are hatched. When disturbed, they conceal themselves 

 behind stones, or some other shelter, in the most artful manner. 

 The parent birds exhibit the utmost assiduity in attempting to 



