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been a fruitful topic of discussion among those who take an interest in our local natural history. 

 Whether it came over to us originally from Australia, or whether it is only a species from the 

 extreme south of New Zealand, which has of late years perceptibly increased, and has migrated 

 northwards, is still a matter of conjecture*. The evidence which, with Dr. Hector's assistance, I 

 have been able to collect on this subject is somewhat conflicting ; but I have myself arrived at the 

 conclusion that the Silver-eye, although identical with the Australian bird, is in reality an indigenous 

 species. The history of the bird, however, from a North-Island point of view is very interesting 

 and suggestive. It appeared on the north side of Cook's Strait, for the first time within the 

 memory of the oldest native inhabitants, in the winter of 1856. In the early part of June of that 

 year I first heard of its occurrence at Waikanae, a native settlement on the west coast, about forty 

 miles from Wellington. The native mailman brought in word that a new bird had been seen, 

 and that it was a visitor from some other land. A week later he brought intelligence that large 

 flocks had appeared, and that the " tau-hou " (stranger) swarmed in the brushwood near the 

 coast ; reporting further that they seemed weary after their journey, and that the natives had 

 caught many of them alive. Simultaneously with this intelligence, I observed a pair of them in 

 a garden hedge, in Wellington, and a fortnight later they appeared in large numbers, frequenting 

 the gardens and shrubberies both in and around the town. They were to be seen daily in consi- 

 derable flocks, hurrying forwards from tree to tree, and from one garden to another, with a con- 

 tinuous, noisy twitter. In the early morning, a flock of them might be seen clustering together 

 on the topmost twigs of a leafless willow, uttering short plaintive notes, and if disturbed, suddenly 

 rising in the air and wheeling off with a confused and rapid twittering. When the flock had 

 dispersed in the shrubbery, I always observed that two or more birds remained as sentinels or 

 call-birds, stationed on the highest twigs, and that on the slighest alarm, the sharp signal-note of 

 these watchers would instantly bring the whole fraternity together. The number of individuals 

 in a flock, at that time, never exceeded forty or fifty ; but of late years the number has sensibly 

 increased, it being a common thing now to see a hundred or more consorting together at one 

 time. They appeared to be uneasy during, or immediately preceding, a shower of rain, becoming 

 more noisy and more restless in their movements. They proclaimed themselves a blessing by 

 preying on and arresting the progress of that noxious aphis known as " American blight " (Schi- 

 zoneura lanigera). They remained with us for three months, and then departed as suddenly as 

 they had come. They left before the orchard-fruits, of which they are also fond, had ripened ; 

 and having proved themselves real benefactors they earned the gratitude of the settlers, while all 

 the local newspapers sounded their well-deserved praises. 



During the two years that followed, the Zoster ops was never heard of again in any part of 



* The substance of the above article on Zosterops was read by the author before a meeting of the Wellington Philo- 

 sophical Society on November 12th, 1870, and led to a discussion, in the course of which Dr. Hector made the following 

 remarks : — " He said that on the south-west coast of Otago the bird was numerous, and there was very good evidence to 

 show that this region was its native habitat. While exploring there, some years ago, he had remarked that the whole 

 country was covered with forest, which extended down to the sea, and that the whole of the vegetation, both trees and 

 shrubs, especially those near the sea-shore, seemed to have a coating of scaly insects, the entire bush being, in fact, covered 

 with blight. He therefore thought it probable that as these birds increased from the superabundance of their particular 

 food, they in course of time sent out migratory flocks, which worked their way up the coast, and at length spread over the 

 country." — Trans. N. Z. Inst. 1870, vol. iii. p. 79. 



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