CORACIIFORMES 139 



At Pyramid Hill they live in rabbit burrows in inaccessible places, 

 and come out freely in the daytime to catch lizards and beetles. It 

 is stated that they do not shun the daylight, but may often be seen 

 sitting at the entrance to their burrows enjoying the sun. Mr W. H. 

 Gates also reports them (April, 1916) as heard occasionally at Skippers. 

 Mr Henry Warden (May, 1916) states that since their appearance in 

 the Wyndham district, the moreporks (native owls) are no longer heard. 



Mr A. J. lies liberated a pair at Rotorua in 1908 (?) and for some 

 time dead sparrows with their heads eaten off were found. After a 

 while the birds disappeared. 



Mr A. Gunn of Galloway Station, Central Otago, tells me they 

 are common there in rocks, clay banks, and deserted rabbit holes. 

 They are also reported from the Taieri Plain, and from Kaitangata. 



Mr A. Philpott sends me (August, 1916) the following note on 

 this species: 



The little owl (Carine noctua) made its appearance near Invercargill 

 in the autumn of 1915. I frequently heard its call, but did not see the 

 bird till September 2ist, when I discovered a pair perched in a hole in 

 a dead Kamahi (Wrinmannia racemosa). The hole was about 25 feet from 

 the ground and faced north, so that the sun (it was 2 p.m.) shone almost 

 directly in. When I approached within about a dozen yards one of the 

 birds flew out, seeming to find no difficulty in guiding its flight in the 

 daylight. After some time the other bird also flew out and perched on a 

 branch overhead. Then it took a long flight to another dead tree and 

 selected a place, not at all in the shade, where it seemed to settle itself to 

 sleep. The trees referred to were on the edge of a bush, and subsequent 

 observations have shown that the little owl does not enter the bush, but 

 keeps on the outskirts or about isolated trees. For this reason I do not 

 anticipate that our native bush birds stand in much danger from this owl. 

 The little owl is much more difficult to approach than the morepork; 

 it evidently sees much better in daylight ; but apart from this, it seems to 

 be a more wary bird. Unlike the morepork, the little owl hoots vigorously 

 in the middle of the day, at least, in the spring. It is now pretty common 

 in this district ; a few evenings ago I heard four or five calling in different 

 directions. 



Writing in 1918 he adds: 



There can be no doubt that such introduced birds as the sparrow and 

 others which roost about hedges, plantations, and buildings will pay a 

 heavy toll ; indeed, I have reason to think that the thrush, the sparrow, and 

 the starling are already diminishing in numbers near Invercargill. Where 

 a pair of owls have established themselves, the evensong of the thrushes 

 and blackbirds gives place to an incessant chorus of terrified alarm-notes. 



At Hawera they are also found, according to my son, Dr W. 

 Malcolm Thomson, but there they have not displaced the morepork, 

 which is still to be heard in the neighbourhood (1916). 



