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The White Heron occurs so sparingly in most parts of New Zealand, that " rare as the Kotuku " 

 has passed into a proverb among the Maoris ; while in the North Island it is said to occur only 

 once in a life-time (He Kotuku rerenga tahi). 



Subsisting almost entirely on eels and small freshwater fish, it frequents the sedgy shores of 

 lagoons and the banks of tidal streams ; but it sometimes resorts also to the open sea-beach, where 

 I have myself shot it. 



It is very interesting to watch this stately bird stalking about in its haunts, or fishing in the 

 shallow water, its snow-white plumage rendering it a very conspicuous object. I have always 

 found it very shy and difficult to approach, the slightest sound exciting its suspicion and making 

 it take wing. It flies high and in wide circles, the wings performing slow and regular flappings, 

 the head being drawn in upon the shoulders, and the legs trailing behind. 



The Hon. Mr. Fox has sent me the following very interesting note, under date of April 17, 

 1872 : — " Do you know of the existence of a ' Cranery ' of the White Crane at Okarita, on the 

 West Coast "? There is a regular colony of them ; they build and breed in the trees (white pine, 

 I believe) above the river or creek, a few miles (say half a dozen) from the sea. My informant, 

 who was the discoverer, Moeller, Hokitika surveyor, counted 65 on first visit. I did not get up 

 the river so far, but saw a dozen sitting in trees lower . down the creek. Many years ago I saw 

 numbers of them at Tokomairiro, Otago, where now they are, I believe, extinct. The Okarita 



' Cranery ' is, I suspect, nearly the last ; at least no other is known I have been spending 



two months on the West Coast, Middle Island, and exploring Mount Cook and its glaciers, which 

 are equal in beauty to those of Switzerland. It is a pity the Alpine Club does not send out some 

 of its members to explore the grand scenery of our Southern Alps." 



Mr. Potts, who has since visited this locality, states that one of the breeding-stations is 

 situated about three miles inland from the sea, on the banks of the Waitangituna stream. He 

 found about twenty-five nests there, placed on trees overhanging the water, at elevations varying 

 from eight to forty feet, and in close association with those of the White-throated Shag, the 

 latter being five or six times as numerous, often forming complete clusters around the larger 

 structures occupied by the White Heron ; these were coarsely built of sticks, placed in such a 

 manner as to form a strong platform, above which was a layer of smaller sticks, but without any 

 softer lining, the whole structure measuring about seventeen inches in diameter. The eggs are 

 usually three, but often four, in. number, of a pale green colour, rather elliptical in form, and 

 measuring 2 - 2 inches in length by 1*6 in breadth. 



Another breeding-place of the White Heron is supposed to exist at a place about twelve 

 miles north of the Buller Eiver ; but there is no positive evidence of this ; and Mr. Fox is no 

 doubt right in considering the Okarita Heronries very nearly, if not actually, the last of their kind. 



