AND OTHER BIRDS 79 



within, of examining and re-examining them. 

 The ycmthfu] Kaka thus visited made at first 

 a great commotion causing the old bird to drop 

 from her heights but even then as if there was 

 no great haste, and as if she was in no great 

 anxiety. Later I noticed that when a Weka 

 looked, or, as once happened, ventured wholly 

 within, a shake of the Parrot 's wings would cause 

 a flurried exit. As I have said, my cooeeing and 

 hallooing for my billy of tea at noon, had to some 

 extent drawn the bird nestwards, and I now 

 determined to sing, on the chance that the 

 novelty of the noise might attract the bird near 

 enough to the nest to allow me to obtain a photo- 

 graph, in fact, though it gives myself and my 

 singing powers away, to make her anxious on 

 behalf of her young. Mine that day were no 

 ordinary melodies I had sent my assistants 

 home to camp, as I still desired to retain their 

 respect and never again in Stewart Island will 

 there be such singing heard. "The Brave Old 

 Duke of York" fixed the bird's attention; she 

 clambered down to such parts of "God Save the 

 King" as I could remember; and an execrable 

 chanting of the old Latin Primer jingle must 

 have made her tremble for the very reason of 

 the twins. At any rate down she came and I 

 took her in the very act of peering into the knot- 

 hole entrance, wondering perhaps if the nestlings 

 could have heard the sounds poured forth, and 

 vet continue to live.* 



'The words: "Common are to either sex 



Artifex and opifex 



Con viva, vates. advena, 



Testis, civis, incola, etc.," 



should serve to show that the Classics can still, even in these 

 modern days, be turned to practical account. 



