288 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
firmly putting its offspring in the way of self-dependence. The 
nest is often placed amongst the steeply-ridged roots of a mighty 
tree near a creek, or on a bossy protuberance on the rugged stem, 
or perhaps it may be observed neatly filling a hollow, matching so 
well the moss-tinted russet-brown bark, with its cleverly selected 
material, that it is difficult for the eye to detect the robin’s home. 
Amongst the different kinds of material that are so judiciously 
chosen, may be found moss, roots, hairlike scales of Dicksonia, 
or the darker scales of Hemitelia and Cyathea, should those 
beautiful tree-ferns grow near, dead leaves, fine grasses, slender 
sprays, webs, sometimes a few feathers, on a broad foundation of 
thick coarse moss. The structure is raised by the careful entwin- 
ing of the material, till with a sloping front, the nest measures 
across the top some five or six inches. The cup has a diameter 
of three inches, whilst its depth is from an inch and a-quarter to 
nearly two inches. The eggs vary in number from two to four ; 
they are ovoid, dull white, with marks of purplish-grey, and over 
most part of the surface indistinct freckles of greyish-brown; 
dull white, with grey and brown marks confluent towards the 
larger end; greenish-white, with grey and purplish marks; 
creamy-white, with brownish marks over the surface generally. 
The breeding season extends from September through the sum- 
mer months, as I have a note of a bird incubating on January 
11th. 
31. Petroeca Traverst. 
Black Robin.—Information concerning the breeding habits 
of this Chatham Island robin is as yet wanting. 
Genus.—Anthus. 
32. Anthus Nove Zealandia, Gm. 
Lark, Pipit, Pihoihoi—One of the earlier breeders. In the 
Rockwood Valley I have seen the nest and four eggs when snow 
lay well over the ground (Aug. roth). My first note of this 
bird’s breeding is dated “Sep. 21, 1854, nest with three eggs, 
hard set, Low Hills, Rockwood.” In looking through the note- 
book I observe several entries of the nest and eggs, or young, 
in the month of August in different years. The rather loose, 
shallow nest is of grass placed on the ground near a sheltering 
tussock. I have but once seen a few tufts of moss mixed with 
the grass leaves, but not neatly interwoven. Eggs, ovoid, oval, 
ovoido-conical, or elongate, shining grey, with brown marks over © 
the surface generally ; dull white, covered with deep brown 
streaks and splashes; white with purple and grey marks; dull 
white, speckled with brownish grey, mostly at the larger end ; 
greenish-white, with brown streaks; dull white, with rich al- 
most reddish brown and purple streaks. Length, ten and a-half 
lines ; breadth, eight lines. 
(To be continued). 
