OOLOGY OF NEW ZEALAND. 375 
mences breeding in August, and rears two or three families in the 
summer. The young are fed by the parents till they can fly well and 
forage for themselves. This species, like others of the native birds, 
can show something like confidence or fearlessness in the choice of a 
breeding place. A noteworthy instance occurred at the residence of 
Mr. S. D. Barker, of Temuka. A pair last October made their nest 
on a knot of a rope that supported a corner of the steps of the bath- 
house; the bath was in daily use, and the rope was as often swayed 
about, but the fantails remained undisturbed. Mr. Barker noticed 
that about eight o’clock a.m., one bird entered in at the aperture that 
admits the creek, then fluttered up the rope to the nest, with a chirp 
to its mate. After a while they were constantly flitting in and out, 
bringing small flies and spiders for their offspring; they paid the 
usual attention to the cleanliness of the nest by lifting out little 
pieces of dung. 
36. Khipidura fuliginosa, Sparmm. 
Black Fantail, Black Flycatcher, Ti-waka-waka.—So closely allied 
to the preceding species that but a few remarks on its breeding 
habits will suffice. It appears to retain an attachment to the site of 
its nesting, as the following note shows; on December 8th, 1854, in 
scrambling down a mountain creek that cleft its way through a back- . 
wood in the Malvern Hills, I found a nest on the edge of a rather flat- 
topped rock. Just above the stream, on the same rock, were two old 
nests; this is good proof of local attachment. Eggs of the same size, 
of similar markings to those of R. flabellifera. October 7th.—Found 
a nest begun, on a branch of Pinus pinaster, in rather a dry position ; 
both birds worked very hard in bringing and placing materials; fifty- 
five visits were made to the nest in an hour; the cock did a fair share 
of work, shaping the cup by twisting round and shaking both wings 
and tail; the hen did the greater part of placing the material; on 
two occasions her visits lasted above a minute each. As it happened 
more than once that both birds arrived at the nest at the same 
moment, the cock did not hesitate to drive the hen, so as to place 
his bit of material. During the greater part of the time occupied by 
these observations, the birds constantly called and answered each 
other ; the cock several times called whilst on the nest; two or three 
times the cock bird refreshed himself with his quivering song, expan- 
ding the tail feathers, and turning about in the most lively manner. 
I have noticed on one occasion a pair making their nest on a different 
plan from the usual manner in which the flycatchers build, namely, 
when the foundation was well secured, the frame of the structure of 
web and moss was, in some way, fixed to a spray, the work of build- 
ing carried on from the inside chiefly; in this instance, the walls 
could be seen through during the progress of construction. 
37. Khigdura hybrid. 
I propose thus to distinguish the eges and young of the two 
well-known species already mentioned, namely, 2. flabellifera, and ZR. 
JSuliginosa. Repeatedly has attention been drawn to this interesting 
fact of hybridisation. See Trans. N.Z. Institute, Vol. II., p. 64; Vol. 
IiT., p. 80; Vol. V., p. 182; Vol. VI, p. 145; N.Z. Journal of Science, 
July, 1884; Zoologist, 1484. A nest and eggs were placed by the 
