FIJI-NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITION 271 
along the outskirts of the forests and in cleared areas therein, 
this tame and familiar bird flits about with broadly expanded tail 
in search of fiying insects. Although often found in pairs, num- 
bers of the birds usually frequent wooded areas and I have often 
called several of them close to me by rapidly kissing the back of 
my hand to which sound they respond as readily as does our 
chickadee or tufted titmouse. 
*‘Tong may the Pied Fantail thrive and prosper, in the face of 
cats, owls, naturalists, and the whole race of depredators; for with- 
out it our woods would lack one of their prettiest attractions, and 
our fauna its gentlest representative.’”* 
The tit, a small black and white bird (about five inches), with 
a much shorter tail, frequents wooded areas also. However, it 
feeds in a different manner from the fantail in that it flits quickly 
from perch to perch, resting for an instant, then darts quickly to 
the ground or trunk of a tree where it feeds principally on small 
insects and their larvae. 
The plain-plumaged grey warbler (four and one-half inches) 
frequents gardens, parks and forests indiscriminately, though it 
has become markedly adapted to conditions of settled areas. 
It is of interest to conservationists to know that all the native 
land birds and most of the above-mentioned water birds except 
the shags have been placed on the protected list by the Dominion 
Government. And very rigid protection these birds receive, for 
even permission to take specimens for scientific purposes is seldom 
granted either to visiting or local scientists. Hunting areas are 
much restricted, all firearms must be registered with the police and 
other precautions are taken in an effort to give the birds a chance 
for their lives. 
In an attempt to protect and preserve the rarer native birds the 
Government has set aside certain off-shore islands and mainland 
reserves as sanctuaries where birds may breed more or less un- 
disturbed. Little Barrier Island in Hauraki Gulf (North Island), 
Resolution Island southwest of South Island, the National Park 
in Otago (South Island) are examples of this type. One of the 
reasons for the effectiveness of these sanctuaries is their inacces- 
sibility. In a conversation with one of the scientists of the Do- 
minion he said that he had attempted a landing at Little Barrier 
on three different occasions within a year and was unsuccessful 
4Buller, W. L. A History of the Birds of New Zealand, 145, 1873. 
