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159 



The moulting of this bird takes place in February ; and it would seem that at this season 

 there is a separation of the sexes. In this month I have had as many as four males sent 

 to me, each of them being solitary : whereas at other seasons these birds invariably go in 

 pairs. My friend Waata Tohu, a renowned Huia-hunter, informed me that the best month 

 for taking this bird is November, the tail-feathers at that time being in prime condition. The 

 season, he says, is coincident with the flowering of the hinau. 



In July, 1898, I paid a visit to the Whariti range of the Euahine Mountains, formerly 

 a place noted for the abundance of Huias. But, alas ! during a whole day spent in the 

 woods I saw only a single Huia. However, the immediate object of my visit was to obtain 

 specimens of the beautiful Todea superba fern, and I did not deprive the mountain of this 

 solitary Starling, although carrying a small gun. I made the ascent of the range in company 

 with the Eev. Mr. Eccles and Herr (1. Lindauer, the celebrated Austrian artist. We drove in 

 a buggy from Woodville to the end of the road which ascends the lower wooded spurs and 

 then, leaving the track, we entered the bush and made straight for the summit (3,500 feet). 

 We reached it about l 2 p.m., and, after a short rest, commenced the descent, getting out of 

 the forest just as the evening shades were closing in upon us. Then we had a live-mile tramp 

 along a very uneven road, in the dark, before we re-entered the trap that had brought us up. 

 The magnificent view we had from the summit fully rewarded us for the toil of the ascent. 

 The day was fortunately clear and we had a very extensive panoramic view. A large portion 

 of both Wellington and Hawke's Bay districts lay spread out before us. Mount Bgmont 

 was only just visible, being partly obscured by clouds. Euapehu and Tongariro were quite 

 obscured ; but we had a fine view of both East and West seas, with all the familiar head- 

 lands — Cape Kidnappers and Castle Point on the east, the Island of Kapiti and the Taranaki 

 ranges on the west. The Wellington Heads were also in sight, and we were assured that 

 in very clear weather vessels may be seen passing in and out. Immediately below us lay 

 the Eangitikei and Manawatu districts, spread out like a huge map, the swamps and clumps 

 of bush and townships being distinctly visible. The widespread valley in which the thriving 

 town of Woodville is situated, and which only a few years since was one unbroken stretch 

 of forest, is now a rolling plain, presenting, at long intervals, irregular patches of native 

 bush. This shows how rapid has been the progress of settlement in this part of the country. 

 As I have stated, the special object of my visit to the Euahine Mountains was to obtain a 

 supply of Todea superba. We saw none of these ferns till we had reached an elevation of 

 about 1,800 feet, then they appeared sparingly— one here and another there. But they soon 

 became more plentiful, till at length the entire ground was covered with these exquisitely 

 lovely ferns, and this continued to be the case almost to the summit. Indeed, just below 

 the summit, on the northern side, there is a deep ravine containing a natural spring, and 

 here Todea superba (the "Prince of Wales's Feather Fern") is to be seen in its utmost 

 perfection. There are millions of plants, and the general effect is that of an illimitable 

 natural conservatory. The only difficulty was to find plants young enough to bear removal. 

 We were not long, however, in filling two sacks, and these we had to carry down on our 

 backs through the thick vegetation covering the side of the mountain. 



The Maoris make a much prized cap or turban of scraped flax, ornamented with Huia 



countrymen to make warm their hearts by contemplation of what medical science has done in the past, for the 

 mitigation of human misery, and to come forward in a liberal spirit to help in the work. Our aim is nothing less than 

 as far as may be permitted to realise the poet's vision : " To sweep distemper from the busy day, and make the chalice 

 of the big round year run o'er with gladness." 



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