



130 



birds (Zosterops ccerulescens), continuously on the move, flying from tree to tree, and feeding 

 m all possible positions ; they chattered and called to each other, while occasionally one 

 came to look at us in an inquisitive manner. Half a mile further on I shot a male 

 White-head from a flock of about twelve individuals in the edge of the bush; they were 

 moving forward in search of food in the tops of the smaller trees." 



Judge Mair, writing to me from Taumarunui on November 30th, 1903, says : " A few 

 days ago I ascended the totara and matai-covered range on the north side of the valley 

 to get a peep at Tongariro and Euapehu, and there I saw a Popokatea — the first for perhaps 

 thirty-five years." 



The common native names are Popokatea and Upokotea. But on the East Coast it is 

 called Tataeko and Tataeto— " he ta tataeto "—a flock of White-heads. 



Order PASSEBIEOBMES.] 



TFamily TIMELIID^E. 



CLITONYX OCHROCEPHALA 



(YELLOW-HEAD.) 



Clitonyx ochrocephala (Gmelin), Buller, Birds of New Zealand, vol. L, p. 56. 



This bird has a most musical whistle, several times repeated. I shot several of them at 

 Preservation Inlet in January, and, on dissecting a male, found the testes enormously- 

 developed. 



I have never heard of the occurrence of this species in the North Island; but it is 

 possible that the following passage in a letter received from Major Mair, in 1902 refers to it: 

 "Going up the Whanganui River in March last, I saw what to me was a new bird. Just 

 above Manganuiateao, on a twig across the mouth of a cleft in the rocks, there sat a bright 

 yellow little bird which, to the best of my recollection, was about the size of a Hen 

 Sparrow." 



A nest obtained at Okarita is very similar in form and construction to that of Clitonyx 

 albicapilla, but is somewhat coarser. It is composed almost entirely of dry mosses, and is 

 neatly lined with grass bents. 



