Rhipidura fuliginosa with R. flabellifera. 101 



on the top of a hill about half a mile from where the bird was 

 seen in 1892, and saw the bird fly-catching in a rangiora 

 bush, which, being in blossom, no doubt had attracted a con- 

 siderable number of insects. On approaching the bird it flew 

 away down the steep hill-face and disappeared in the bush 

 below. 



The following day I went in quest, and after seeing, as I 

 thought, every Fantail in about twenty acres of steep hill- 

 side, I was just giving up the hunt when I came across the bird 

 in a part of the hill that I had previously searched. It was 

 playing about with a Pied Fantail, when suddenly it flew up 

 the bush pursued by the pied bird. I followed and found the 

 Pied Fantail in a tree in whicii was a FantaiFs nest. Not 

 seeing the black bird about I sat down to observe whether it 

 would return, and meanwhile watched the Fantail catching 

 insects with wonderful evolutions, always returning to its 

 perch, sometimes to sing its sweet little song. 



Suddenly I thought the tail showing over the nest was not 

 that of R. flabellifera. I shook the tree, but the bird re- 

 mained. I climbed up and there sat R. fuliginosa on the 

 nest, exposing, when it flew off, two eggs, 1 experienced a 

 feeling I cannot describe ; I had come out simply to obtain 

 the bird, and had found it paired with a mate of a different 

 species, together with its nest and eggs ! It was with much 

 regret that I shot the pair of birds and took the nest and 

 eggs. 



Having nothing better than a match-box and some dry 

 grass, I packed the two eggs (Avithout blowing) in. them, but 

 on opening the box I found that one of the eggs was unfor- 

 tunately badly crushed. The eggs were both incubated — 

 perhaps for five or six days. 



On skinning the two birds I found that the pied bird was 

 a male, while the black one was a female. R. juliginosa was 

 in perfect plumage, while R. flabellifera was rather worn. 



I have seen many Fantails^ nests and cannot find any 

 difference between those of R. flabellifera and R. fuliginosa. 

 In the present case the locality was not perhaps the usual 

 one selected by the pied species in which to rear its young (it 



