Sydney Porter—Notes on New Zealand Birds 137


and plum slugs, etc. The Shining Cuckoo is a peaceful and

gentle little creature, seldom forcing itself upon one’s notice like

the rest of New Zealand’s forest birds. In spite of its beautiful

plumage it is not easily detected when in the trees, the shining

green and striped breast assimilating it into its surrounding.


When the birds arrive at the end of September at the North

Cape they quickly spread themselves over the whole of the country,

being found quite commonly in the far south and in Stewart

Island. This Cuckoo is parasitic and usually places its egg in

the nest of the tiny Grey Warbler. It has always seemed a strange

anomaly that while birds will refuse to rear the young of other

species they will always bring up a Cuckoo ; not only that, but

very often any small “ soft-billed ” bird will, upon seeing a

young Cuckoo pop some succulent morsel into its mouth. This

I frequently noticed with the Cuckoo in question. In fact I even

saw a Sparrow drop insects into the mouth of a young Shining

Cuckoo. Evidently there is some instinct which forces other small

birds to take upon themselves this strange foster-parenthood and

about which we understand very little.


One of these beautiful birds was found by some friends and

reared for me to take home. It was found as a small nestling and

was kept until about two months old. It was a delightful little

bird and I very much regretted its loss, which I fear was from

feeding it on meal-worms. I am quite convinced that these are

too stimulating and indigestible for most small birds. I have

also found that they often cause a kind of wasting disease which

the pathologists cannot diagnose. Another specimen was reared by

some more friends. It was found, I believe, in a washhouse on the

outskirt of one of the cities. First of all it refused to feed so we

had to cram it by means of a “ Filup ” feeder. In a short time it

began to pick up hairy caterpillars upon which it was mainly

reared, but when these became scarce it began to feed upon an

insectivorous food mixed with hard-boiled chopped egg and

Madeira cake. I really did not expect that it would ever be

reared, for it was in such a poor and emaciated condition at

first. It picked up quickly when the caterpillars were available,



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