26



Breeding Successes in New Zealand



On the evening of 31st December, the hen was seen sitting well down

in her little home. The weather was very windy and wet, but not cold.

As the wind and rain increased, the hen settled further down in her

nest and depressed her beak considerably. It was noticeable that, in

passing along the path past the nest, the hen took no notice providing

the passer-by looked straight ahead. Should the head be turned and

the eyes directed towards her, she flew of! immediately. On Saturday,

10th January, 1936, the hen being off the nest, a glance sideways revealed

two eggs, pale bluish-white, speckled with reddish-brown markings

which were more dense at the big end of the egg.


On Sunday, 11th January, one egg hatched in the morning and the

second in the afternoon, revealing two of the tiniest young birds I have

ever seen, covered with very little down and almost naked, with no

evidence of the long bill of the adult. Incubation, therefore, was approxi¬

mately twelve days. On 19th January, the young birds would raise

their heads quickly if the hen were off the nest and the tree shaken a

little, the movement apparently being connected with the supposed

return of the hen. The flight feathers were growing strongly and

evenly, but not broken out of the quill covering as yet. A little bit of

fluff was noticeable on the chicks, but insufficient to provide much

w T armth.


The hen brooded them well, as she needed to, owing to the abnormal

amount of cold, wet weather. The hen was observed chasing flies and

moths in the aviary, but the cock bird was not seen performing any

domestic duties whatever. On 19th January the hen w r as seen eating

crumbs of Madeira cake from the soft-billed food supplied them, then

taking a drink of nectar and then pieces of boiled egg or cake in her

beak to feed to the young. In approaching the nest with food, the hen

always did so through the bottom branches of the tea-tree—never

from the top, which was composed only of slender, frail tea-tree shoots.

Not once was the hen seen to approach the nest directly.


Fruit in addition to the usual foods already mentioned was fed,

cut-up grapes, pears, oranges, and soaked seedless raisins. Gentles

were offered, but on no occasion were they seen to be used. Nectar

to moisten the other foods was consumed in considerable quantities.

On Thursday, 23rd January, the chicks 5 eyes opened and greenish

feathers showed on their backs. On Monday, 26th January, one young



