AND OTHER BIRDS 55 



I had not previously experienced a case where 

 the cooling process if it were such began so 

 early and was carried to such an extreme degree. 



A second nest, also got during the third week 

 of November, I found to contain three squab 

 young. In deep shade contiguous to the nest 

 a Morepork was sitting, and his baneful pre- 

 sence so near the chicks was occasioning in the 

 cock bird loud series of alarm notes; by these 

 cries of distress indeed it was that the nest was 

 discovered to me. 



1 routed the little Owl out of his dark shelter 

 and had the satisfaction of hearing him well 

 mobbed by excited Tuis and Bell-birds and less 

 animated Warblers and Tits. 



His enemy gone, the Robin at once proceeded 

 with his work and, satisfied by my conduct that 

 I must be a friend, 'took me into his confidence 

 by a direct flight on to his nest. It was built 

 about nine feet from the ground in an immense 

 bee swarm like hanging cluster of close packed 

 dead bush vine twigs, tendrils, and curls, and 

 in colour as perfect a match as could be to the 

 Robin's own brown-black plumage. 



During the erection of our stage neither of 

 the parents evinced much alarm, and we 

 managed to get the lens within a few feet of 

 these tame little creatures. When advancing 

 my scissors to remove a twig or two on the very 

 edge of the nest, the hen at first attempted to 

 lure me away, half falling and half fluttering 

 off her nest as if disabled, and holding, as does 

 the Tit, her wings aloft with the primary quills 

 very widely spread apart. When returning, she 

 saw I was' not to be drawn off, this brave little 

 hen fluttered almost into my face, even brushing 



