130 



NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



" When ascending the mountain, the guide stopped suddenly, as a note like the rasps 

 of a saw was heard at some distance among the loose stones and ferns, and exclaimed, 

 ' That is a wood-hen.' He then imitated the note of the bird, and the wood-hen 

 replied. He again tried the imitation, but the bird was silent. Another guide accom- 

 panying us then struck the back of the tomahawk against a tree; again the bird 

 answered ; further strokes of the tomahawk were useless, no reply could be obtained. 

 Then a dog was made to bark, and with effect ; the call of the bird was again heard, 



FIG. 61. Pwphyrio porphyrio, purple-gallinule. 



and again and again as often as the sounds were made and varied. At each time it 

 Avas apparent that the bird was approaching nearer and nearer to our position, until 

 the bird ran out, apparently quite confused and bewildered, close to our feet. The 

 dog seized the bird and killed it, otherwise it might have been captured alive. It 

 appears that the noise made to attract the bird must be constantly varied, one con- 

 tinuous sound having no effect. No wonder that they are becoming scarce, and will, 

 no doubt, be soon extinct." 



