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striped and barred plumage of rich chestnut-brown and white and its wealth of tail, whilst the 

 mind naturally reverts at once to the long sea-pilgrimage the bird has performed to announce 

 the welcome message. 



Specimens of this Cuckoo from the Kermadec Islands differ from ordinary New Zealand 

 examples in their richer colouring, the throat and sides of the neck having a strong wash of 

 chestnut-brown, and the wing-coverts being largely tipped with white instead of yellowish-brown, 

 presenting a spotted appearance, this character extending also, but in a less degree, to the 

 scapulars, uropygium, and upper tail-coverts. 



On June 8th I received from Mr. H. H. Travers a note saying that he had just obtained 

 from New Plymouth, in the flesh, a Koheperoa in very fat condition. This seemed very late in 

 the season for such a bird ! Mr. Travers suggests that some may remain with us all the year 

 round. It may be so, but the occurrence is a very unusual one. It is clear, however, that there 

 is no lack of winter food for this species. And if it is able to endure our seasonable cold, why 

 should it have inherited its wonderful migratory instinct ? This is one of the problems of natural 

 history which will probably never find a solution. Why should the Grodwit make its annual 

 weary pilgrimage from New Zealand to Siberia, when, as we know, the few individuals that 

 remain with us through the winter are always fat and in good condition ? 



In the Otago Museum there is a specimen of the young bird from the Society Islands, 

 presenting some resemblance to my Kermadec Islands bird. Of the latter I have now three 

 specimens — one received from Captain Fairchild, and two purchased from Mr. Bell. All three 

 are very much alike, differing from each other only in the depth of colouring, and the bird is to 

 my eye readily distinguishable from the ordinary New Zealand form. 



At Stewart Island Mr. Livingstone showed me a freshly skinned one. It differed from 

 ordinary specimens in having all the smaller wing-coverts tipped with white, as in the Kermadec 

 Islands bird. 



The Society Islands examples have, if I remember aright, rounded spots of white on the 

 wings and a warmer colouring on the throat. 



This bird evidently has a good memory. Notwithstanding its long migration, it seems to 

 remember its favourite resorts in New Zealand. A pair — presumably the identical pair — will 

 return to the same trees or shrubbery, season after season, and remain there for days together. 



It is marvellous enough to see the young of this Cuckoo fed and tended by a Warbler about 

 one-tenth its own size ; but what will be thought of this enterprising little bird undertaking the 

 charge of two such foster children ? Captain Mair, writing to me from Whangarei on March 

 16th, 1901, says : " I have just been watching a poor, tiny Riroriro feeding two voracious 

 young Koheperoa in the orchard here. It was really most interesting." 



Professor Hutton writes me : " Urodynamis taitensis, I strongly suspect, goes from New 

 Zealand, through New Caledonia, to the Solomon Islands, where it winters." 



Mr. Swayne writes : " In August last year (1895) I was at the island of Niu, in the Ellice 

 Group, and while walking through the island along with the local trader we passed a clump of 

 ' buka ' trees, in which, as is common throughout the Ellice Islands, there were numbers of the 

 Noddies (Anous stolidus) nesting. I noticed that in one tree the birds were much disturbed and 

 apparently frightened. The trader explained that the birds were disturbed by a ' Hawk.' We 

 remained some time watching, and I saw our friend the Cuckoo drive a Noddy out of the nest 

 and take possession of it, while the old birds and apparent proprietors tried in vain to dislodge the 

 intruder. ... I do not doubt that the Cuckoo was about to lay. ... It would be 

 interesting to know whether the young Cuckoo is raised on a fish diet." I should think it 

 far more likely that the predatory Cuckoo was feasting itself on the Noddy's eggs, as their 

 custom is. 



