140 
ZOOLOGY. 
to their appearance. Another and more gay fellow, belonging to 
the family Turtliche, is the piopio (Turnagra crassirostris), the 
thrush of the settlers. It is a very inquisitive and social 
bird, generally making its appearance as soon as the traveller 
halts. 
The beautiful pigeon (Carpophaga Xovse Seelandiae) is also abun¬ 
dant in the lower countries, where the vegetation does not 
principally consist of fagus (black birch). Where this tree is 
predominant the birds are not so numerous. This bird is so 
stupid as often to remain sitting upon a branch until the traveller 
has cut a long stick and passed the flax snare at the end of it 
round its neck. Amongst the small inhabitants is one which by 
its tameness always gives animation to the camp: it is the Totoara, 
the New Zealand robin, which is the first to welcome the explorer 
in the wilderness, and which remains steadily near the camp. 
Gravely does it look to the doings of men. I observed how 
strictly these robins maintained the right of priority. The second 
comer was always fought till he went away, and the first remained 
on the spot till he was killed for fishing or snaring purposes, 
when the second one very soon took his dangerous place. At 
first it is perfectly fearless, and I have seen one of them sit on my 
hand with which I held my paper when sketching, and pecking 
quietly at it. 
There are still two others, which are always near the tents : the 
fan-tailed flycatcher, belonging to the family Muscicapidae, very 
fond of the neighbourhood of man, and the New Zealand wren 
(Certhiparus maculicandus), both never tired of flying and hop- 
. ?ing round the tents. Of the latter I observed several species in 
;he interior, which will prove to be undescribed. 
On the sea shore, near the mouths of rivers, we again meet with 
the paradise duck, but the most numerous bird all along the coast 
is the torea (ITematopus picatus). It is pleasant to see this red- 
legged and billed fellow run along the shore under the crest of 
the waves, picking up the mollusks and small fishes which are 
brought by them or remain behind when they recede. At hio-h 
water they generally assemble together, as there is not such good 
opportunity for fishing. Although rather of a fishy taste, they 
offer to the traveller who is in the possession of a gun sufficient 
material for a meal when he is in want of it. 
Another interesting sea bird belonging to the gulls is the 
karoro, which skims rapidly over the surf, seizing the shell-fish, 
principally Venus intermedia, on which it lives; and being 
una e to open the shells with its beak, nature has taught it 
ano er way. I observed them very often how they rose over the 
Iif A A?'?; and ’ arrivin g at an altitude of 60 to 100 feet, let 
V iii i - Sf i ^ iat ^ y°uld break upon the rocks below. 
• f i 110 ier bird, belonging to the gannets, is also very abundant; 
as a very graceful flight, sailing high above the water on 
i 
