22 



This bird emits a soft plaintive cry, repeated at short intervals ; but on the 

 wing, and especially when consorting in a flock, it utters a rapid twittering 

 note. During the breeding season the male indulges in a low musical strain 

 of exquisite sweetness, but very subdued, as if singing to himself or performing 

 for the exclusive benefit of his partner. This song is something like the sub- 

 dued strain of the Korimako (Anthornis me.lamtm), but much softer. 



If shot at and wounded it generally manages to escape capture by scrambling 

 nimbly ofi^ into the thicket, hiding itself and remaining perfectly silent till the 

 danger has passed. 



Frequent attempts have been made to keep it caged, but, although it will 

 readily feed, I have never known it survive confinement many weeks. 



Mr. Colenso observes that " when they retire to roost they sleep in pairs, 

 cuddling quite close together like love-parrots ; and before they fold their heads 

 under their wings they bill and preen each other's head and neck most lovingly, 

 littering at the same time a gentle twittering note." 



Mr. Potts informs nie that, in Canterbury, tliis species begins nesting early 

 in October. In one instanoe, within his own observation, the birds commenced 

 incubation on October 16, the young were hatched on October 25, and left the 

 nest on November 4. In the North Island the breeding season is somewhat 

 later. As late as the 24th of December I met with a nest in the Taiipo-Patea 

 'country, containing two perfectly fresh eggs. 



The nest is a slight, cup-shaped structure, with a rather large cavity for 

 the size of the bird, and is generally fovmd suspended by side fastenings to 

 hanging vines, or to the slender twigs of Z&ptospermum, Olearia, and other 

 shrubs, and sometimes to the common fern (^Pteris aquilina). The eggs are 

 generally thi^ee in number (sometimes four), ovoiconical in form, and of a 

 beautiful, uniform pale blue colour. 



Nests of this species exhibit some variety, both as to structu.i"e and the 

 materials of which they are composed. Of three specimens now before me, 

 one is of slight construction and shallow in its cavity, composed externally of 

 green coloured lichen, spiders' nests, the downy seed-vessels of the pikiarero 

 (flowering clematis) and a few dry leaves ; lined internally with long horse- 

 hair disposed in a circular form. Another is of smaller size, more compact, 

 composed externally of crisp, dry moss, and internally of grass bents with 

 a few long hairs interlaced ; while the third has the exterior walls constructed 

 entirely of spiders' nests and stiff fibrous mosses, the former predominating, 

 and the interior lining composed wholly of long horse-hair. 



A specimen which I found suspended in a clump of creeping kohia 

 {Passi^ora tetandra) was composed externally of the pale green and rust- 

 coloured lichen so abundant on the branches of dead timber, intermixed with 

 spiders' webs, and lined inside with dry fibrous grasses, the whole being laced 

 together with hair, the long straggling ends of which jwojected fiom every part 



