524, Mr. J. C. McLean on some 
of Tawari, which ripened in early May and was in such 
abundance through the two following months, was antici- 
pated by the parents. In May they were busy educating 
their young, and small parties of from four to seven were 
noticed on several occasions. It was amusing to watch the 
old birds, with bubbling chatter, exhorting their hesitating 
offspring to negotiate some wider space than usual between 
the birch tops. 
The Yellow-fronted Parroquets have a habit of accompany- 
ing the flocks of Whiteheads (Clitony# albicapilla\, and in 
June and the following months this trait was observed 
almost daily *. That they are very much attached to these 
little birds was noticeable on one occasion, when, wishing to 
obtain a specimen, I disturbed the troop very much by 
shooting at a Parroquet in a tall birch full of Whiteheads. 
The birds went all ways, but the Whiteheads quickly re- 
assembled in one birch and started off with their straggling 
fight to another. Then the Parroquets rocketed across 
and joined them, and all moved on together. Shortly 
afterwards the Whiteheads were seen to turn and retrace 
their steps from tree to tree. ‘This did not deter the 
Parroquets, who turned with them and all came on towards 
me and passed by. When any excitement is caused among 
these flocks the Parroquets remain chattering in the tops 
overhead until the noise subsides and the parties resume their 
advance. 
During the winter the Parroquets fed almost exclusively 
on the Tawari and became very fat ; but in spring, when this 
food was exhausted and the flocks broke up, they were 
found more generally distributed in pairs, while they had 
become in poor condition by October. I examined a number 
of specimens shot during my stay, and all were of the 
present species; but I have little doubt that Cyano- 
rhamphus nove-zealandie, the Red-fronted Parroquet, also 
oceurs. 
Parroquets are rarely seen in the scattered bushes of the 
open country. 
* See above, p. 216. 
