60 



was almost daily visited by the child who had made the discovery, and the 

 eggs inspected ; when hatched the young were now and then handled, yet the 

 confidence of the old birds carried them through this trying ordeal, and their 

 young ones were successfully reared. 



This is one of the few birds, of whose extinction we are happy to believe 

 there is no danger ; it is most useful as an insect eater, it is one of the latest 

 to retire to rest, and may be often observed perched on the trunk of a tree, in 

 a posture by which its body is almost at a right angle with the tree. The 

 nests, described above, were found about Ohinitahi, where birds are as much 

 encouraged, and as little disturbed as possible. Last summer another specimen 

 was noticed, which had been built upon an old nest, making a solid mossy 

 structure, measuring about one foot from top to bottom. The usual dimensions 

 of the nest are as follows : — Across from outside of wall to outside, 5 inches ; 

 cavity 2 inches 6 lines, with a depth of 1 inch 6 lines. 



No. 31. — Petroica toitoi, Less and Gam. 

 Tit. 



Whatever distinguishing features, scientific research may have discovered, 

 which allows specific differences between P. Dieffenbachi and P. toitoi, we fear 

 they are not generally appreciated or understood. Perhaps this may be a fair 

 opportunity of pointing out that the nomenclature of our birds still requires 

 attention, and, above all, settlement; to the enquiring student of ornithology, 

 scarcely anything can exceed the perplexity and embarrassment which is 

 caused by a conflicting nomenclature. To give one instance : Anarynehus 

 frontalis appears in Dieffenbach's list ; since then we have noticed it as 

 Charadrius, Hcematopus, and now Anarynehus once more. Let us hope this 

 may be the last change. We have often observed a Petroica, whose favourite 

 haunt appeared to be amongst large areas of flax bushes (Phormium tenax), but 

 confess we could not undertake to decide to which of the two species, named 

 above, the Tit, to which we have referred, belonged ; nor is there, unfor- 

 tunately, any complete type collection, either in Wellington or Christchurch, 

 which could decide any doubt that might be entertained on the subject. We 

 have a set of eggs in our collection, which we are inclined to assign to the 

 P. toitoi ; they are slightly more inclined to pyriform, in shape, than those 

 of P. Macrocephala, white, with marks of purplish-grey towards the larger 

 end, and measure 9 lines in length, with a breadth of 7 lines. 



No. 32. — Petroica longipes, Less, and Garn. 

 Robin. 



In the Colonial Museum, Wellington, there is a specimen of the nest and 

 eggs of this bird. 



The nest, compactly built of moss, fine roots, web, and tree-fern down, is 

 more neatly finished than that of P. albifrons. The eggs, ovoiconical in form, 

 are marked, principally at the larger end, with specks of greyish-brown. 



No. 33. — Petroica albifrons, Gml. 

 Totoara. 

 Robin. 



Our rather dirty-looking Robin is one of the sweetest warblers of the 

 bush, bold and confident, its habits may be easily observed, as one rambles near 

 the rocky sides of a forest stream. Its nest is wider, and larger altogether, 

 than that of Petroica macrocephala, but not so closely interwoven ; moss, 

 sprays, leaves, fine fibres, and grass, enter into its construction. Diameter of 

 nest 5 to 6 inches, cavity 3 inches, with a depth of 1 inch 3 lines. A favourite 



