34 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



was unable to obtain one, alive or dead, or even to see a skin. I think this 

 singular alteration in the bird's numbers has been noticed in Southland. 

 This bird, although not at all shy, is very pugnacious, and can defend its 

 young from either the rat or the cat, hence, probably, its singular increase. 



The huia f Heteralocha acutirostrisj was then to be found in the ranges 

 between Waiuuiomata and Palliser Bay. Dr. Dieffenbach, the naturalist, 

 was anxious to obtain some, and I accompanied him, making sketches, to 

 the high range that overlooks Palliser Bay. The natives are very fond 

 of the feathers of this handsome, dark, velvetty bird, with its yellow 

 wattles and white-tipped tail, and two boys readily went with us as guides. 

 There was no occasion to take much food into the bush in those days — the 

 gun supplied game enough — and though the month was September, one 

 blanket was considered sufficient bedding for the open-air bivouac. 



We struck in from near Lowry Bay, and reached the som'ce of the Orongo 

 stream before night. There was no path whatever. We shot some kakas 

 and snared a kokako, but saw no huias. We made a good fire as night 

 approached. The natives were awfully afraid of the Wairarapa people, 

 against whom they had lately fought, and while we slept with our feet near 

 the fire, they sat crouched, with our guns in their hands, listening to detect 

 any possibly approaching footsteps, for they were on the debateable land of 

 the two tribes. 



The only sound worth noticing was the beautiful melody, towards 

 morning, of the bell-birds. Thousands of these were singing together, 

 and, probably by some auricular delusion, the sound seemed to arrange 

 itself into scales, like peals of bells running down octaves. As the sun rose 

 this music ceased altogether. From the top of the range we had a fine 

 view of Palliser Bay and the Wairarapa Lakes. On om- way homeward the 

 natives suddenly stopped ; they heard in the distance the peculiar cry of the 

 huia. Imitating this, and adding a peculiar croak of their own, which they 

 said was very attractive, our guides soon brought two birds — a male and 

 female — within shooting distance. We abstained from firing for a moment, 

 admiring the elegant movements of these birds as they leaped from tree to 

 tree, peering inquisitively at us, and gradually coming nearer. We now 

 fired with light charges, and brought each a bird down. Our natives were 

 annoyed at our "griffinism." They had intended, by a further allure- 

 ment of a peculiar gutteral croak, to have brought the birds so near as to 

 capture them with a common slip-knot at the end of a stick — a process 

 which we saw subsequently performed with entire success. As we 

 descended the spur near the mouth of the Hutt Eiver, a whale and its 

 calf were tumbling about between Lowry Bay and Somes' Island. They 

 were "finbacks," and of no commercial value. 



