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wrappings, t^at protect them securely enough from the cold breath of winter 

 as they lie hidden beneath the bending fronds of the brown Fteris, or amongst 

 the slender twigs of the scented manuka, but defenceless against tbe quick eye 

 and sharp beak of the Warbler. In early spring, whilst insects are yet scarce, 

 these birds may be observed sometimes on the ground picking amongst the 

 dead leaves that lie strewn beneath the overhanging shrubs ; in the pursuit of 

 flying insects they do not chase their prey in the air like the EM^ndurce ; but 

 rather flutter about the tops and outsides of shrubs ; whilst so engaged the 

 snap of the mandibles may be plainly heard as they clear ofi* their tiny prey. 

 Perhaps it is a sign of attachment that at all seasons of the year. Warblers 

 may be noticed in pairs, rarely is a solitary bird met with ; in the breeding 

 season, anyone straying near its home is met and watched by both birds, each 

 in turn giving utterance to an anxious twitter. 



Males have been noticed fighting with great resolution, sometimes on the 

 wing, sometimes on the ground ; after the skirmish, the rival combatants 

 retired, each towards his favourite range in the gully, raising his tremulous 

 jingling note as a song of triumph or defiance. 



Last summer, two instances of the GlirysocoGcyx lucidus making use of the 

 nest of the Warbler, fell under our observation, both nests were in garden 

 hedges. 



Sept. 19. — Warblers carrying material for a nest at Fernbrook ; 23rd — 

 the nest, built in a manuka, about 9 feet from the ground, appeared finished, 

 without a porch; 26th — one egg; 30th — three eggs. Oct. 1. — Four eggs, 

 white, spotted with red ; 9th — hardset ; all further observations stopped as to 

 period required for incubation, bird or birds destroyed by a cat. 



Having lately perused Gotild's Handbook, and noted the range of the 

 Gerygone on the Australian continent, the rarity of such a mode of construction 

 in cool countries strengthens our views on the pensile nest builders— that 

 form of nidification being the result of instinctive precaution against the egg 

 robbers of tropical or semi-tropical coimtries. 



Last Chrismastide, in the garden of a friend at Christchurch, a pair of the 

 Gerygone had built one of their elaborately-finished structures, suspended from 

 the branch of a currant bush ; the result was one of the prettiest specimens of 

 bird architectui-e, framed with green leaves, and decked with clusters of the 

 deep red fruit, which hung about the nest untouched by the Warbler's beak. 

 This fact is mentioned, because, since the numerous flocks of the mercurial 

 Zosterojps have made themselves rather dreaded than admired as visitors to the 

 fruit gardens, in some instances we have noticed nest taking as the result, 

 with not too much discrimination being exercised by the captors as to what 

 species of small birds are really fruit-stealers. We have known the nests of 

 those valuable insect-eaters, Gerygone and RMpidura, esteemed as trophies 

 taken from the enemy. 



