127 



only found north of Cook's Strait. It appears, however, to enjoy a wider geographical range ; for 

 I obtained specimens at the Chatham Islands, and the Antarctic Expedition brought some from 

 Auckland Island. 



The habits of this species are similar to those of its northern ally (M. toitoi), except that it 

 appears to be less recluse in its manner of nidification. 



Mr. Potts, who has frequently found the nest, writes as follows : — " This familiar little bird 

 is one of the most elaborate nest-builders amongst the denizens of the bush, or rather of its out- 

 skirts. The nest varies much in shape, according to position : frequently we have found it in 

 the holes of trees ; and a favourite site is immediately under the head of the ti tree (Cordyline 

 australis). Two nests which we presented to the Canterbury Museum were of remarkable 

 shape : one, a firm compact structure, placed in the forked head of a ti tree, resembled a very neat 

 moss basket with a handle across the top ; the second, also from a ti tree, owing, perhaps, to the 

 foundation slipping between the leaves, was built up till it reached the great length of sixteen 

 inches. We have found others placed on a rock ; and one, now in the Colonial Museum, was 

 built between the brace and shingles in the roof of an empty cottage" *. In a letter to myself, 

 Mr. Potts adds the following interesting particulars of two other nests found by him : — " No. 1 

 was built chiefly of sprays of climbing plants, strengthened with grass-bents and a few pieces of 

 split ti-palm leaf, lined with moss, as usual. The whole fabric appeared much rougher and more 

 loosely put together than is usually the case with the nest of this bird. It was placed in a 

 ti palm, and contained two well-fledged young birds and three bad eggs. No. 2 : This nest was 

 composed almost entirely of moss, with a few slender strips of bark fixed to the outside, and 

 ornamented inside with a few Parrakeet-feathers ; it was placed on a ledge in a mossy recess 

 among the rocks in dense bush, and contained four eggs." 



The eggs, which are generally three in number, are ovoido-conical, measuring - 75 inch in 

 length by *6 in breadth ; they are white, with a broad freckled zone of purplish brown, and with 

 the whole surface dusted or minutely freckled with paler brown ; sometimes without the zone, 

 and beautifully speckled all over with various shades of brown. 



* Trans. New-Zealand Inst. 1869, vol. ii. p. 59. 



