4478 THE ZooLoGist—J UNE, 1875. 
Irides gray, darkest in the female; ovary not in a forward state ; 
circumference of thigh, after skinning, three inches; muscles sup- 
porting the back of the head and neck very prominent. In one of 
the male specimens at least half the under tail-coverts was tipped 
with white. Eye-witnesses informed Mr. Enys that the male tears 
the surface of rotten logs; the female extracts the insects, which 
are shared between them. At any rate the male gets his share of 
his mate’s labours. In life the wattle looks concave. Mr. Enys was 
reminded of the crow (Glaucopis) in some of their movements ; 
sometimes four to six were found in company. One of the males 
killed on the 9th of September had not moulted ; the tail was dirty 
and scrubbed, giving it a rusty look, which may account for the 
so-called “ redtailed huia.” 
Creeper (Acanthisitta chloris, Sparrvm.).—On a station near the 
Harper river, in this Province, a pair of these small birds made 
their nest in the skull ofa horse. The average weight of these birds 
is about a quarter of an ounce, the turn of the scale in favour of 
the female. 
Yellow-head (Orthonyx ochrocephala).—Average weight of spe- 
cimens one ounce and a half. 
White-head (Certhiparus albicilla, Zess.; Orthonyx albicillus, 
Gmel.).—The writer procured several specimens of this creeper at 
Pakuratahi, at the foot of the Rimutaka range, Wellington. Closer 
observation induces the belief that this species may be separated 
from O.ochrocephala, in order to place it near to Certhiparus 
Nove-Zealandiz. 
Gerygone.—Dr. Buller’s idea that the Gerygone sylvestris is 
G. frontata is not concurred in by the writer. The new bird bears 
much more resemblance to G. flaviventris. 
Yellowbreasted Tit (Petroica macrocephala, Gmel.)—The yellow- 
breasted tit often shows a seeming want of care in choosing its 
nesting place. A site is selected which perhaps may be admirably 
adapted for concealing the nest, yet ofttimes the foundation is laid 
where the structure is liable to be blown out by gusty winds or cast 
over, so that its contents are destroyed; several instances of such 
mischances have we seen. ‘The beatifully-made home is probably 
entirely the work of the female. We have never seen the male 
actually place the materials, yet he does his share of labour in 
carefully feeding his mate, not only during the time of incu- 
bation, but also whilst the nest is being built; he carries the 
en 
