Native Notes. 
133 
Native Notes. 
By J. Drummond, F.L.S., F.Z.S. 
Rcpruitcd jruiii the " Nciv Zealmid /Vf.v.v," ciiltiiigs per Mr. F. Hcm-e. — £(/. 
A list of birds observed near Wellington is supplied by Mr. R. H. D. 
Stidolph. On Makara Hill a few weeks ago he met native larks. He saw 
many in small groups, but some singly. All seemed to like the company of 
human beings, and many searched unconcernedly for food a few yards from 
him. He saw a flock of starlings closely followed by a harrier hawk, which 
dashed amongst the small birds, and then all disappeared from view. During 
a hurried visit to the Botanical Gardens he saw no fewer than fourteen pied 
fantails, a species which, he states, may be seen wherever there is a little native 
bush. In places in and near Wellington dozens of white-eyes may be seen, 
searching for insect food. In the harbour there are black-headed gulls and 
red-billed gulls. The gannet is present at certain times of the year, but not 
in large numbers. In the last week of April he saw several gannets, about a 
mile from the shore, diving for their food. As the winter months approach, 
the mournful and sedate kingfisher conies to the sea in search of food. 
Recently three kingfishers were seen in Oriental Bay. All these species, Mr. 
Stidolph states, may be seen within four miles of the General Post Office. At 
the beginning of this year, in a lagoon near Longburn, there were large num- 
bers of pukekos, as many as six being seen together. Fantails, white-eyes, 
harriers, and native larks are plentiful there also, and grey ducks are seen 
occasionally. Last year he saw some stilts on Lake Rotorua, near Ohau 
Channel. 
Bl.ackbirds : The unselfishness and gentlemanly manners of the 
male blackbird, according to Mr. R. Nairn, of Lincoln Road, Christchurch, 
sometimes bring disaster on the female. Mr. Nairn finds that, when he sets 
traps for blackbirds in his garden, it is, in nearly all cases, a female that is 
caught. He explains this by the theory that the male, on discovering the bait- - 
usually a ripe cherry or strawberry — calls the female, in order that she mav 
have the dainty. She tries to eat the fruit, and is caught. The male, probably, 
finds another mate, and when the trap is set again he unwittingly leads her 
also to her destruction. This continues until many females have been taken. 
Larks : Mr. J. Callister, of Ira Street, Miramar, Wellington, reports 
that in the breeding season nests of the native larks may be found by the 
simple device of digging in a garden in a district where these birds live. They 
look for grubs in the broken ground, and, as soon as their bills are full, fly 
in a straight line for the nests. Those usually are found close to the tussocks 
or pieces of strong grass. The favourite material used is well broken grass, 
and the number of eggs, generally, is four. " The native lark," Mr. Callister 
says, " seldom misses an insect, especially a blowfly. If a fly settles on the 
sand and a lark is within a few yards, the lark makes a swift run, and that is 
the end of the fly." 
