The White-head 
73 
recesses of the busli. Only on the dry manuka-covered spurs 
that here and there run down between the greener flanks of 
growth were they absent; and those spurs seemed the haunt 
of the robin. The white-head is evidently one of the optimists 
of the bush; he finds good and pleasure everywhere, and never 
scruples to say so. The most frequent cry is a quick slurred 
note, vocalized tswit, as in (1). This is uttered almost inces¬ 
santly, as the bird searches usually at a height of from six to 
twenty feet above the ground, under leaves, and in the 
crannies of the bark, for lurking insects. He will pause 
occasionally, stand erect, with head elevated, beak open, tail 
vibrating, and cry “all’s right with the world,” uttering the 
notes of (2) to (6), all of which, apparently, are calls that 
call for no answer, or answers to calls which may or may not 
have been given. All of these were uttered at times alone, at 
times in various combinations, two or three connected at 
random. The notes of (2) vary from four to ten in number, 
descending enharmonically from two to four semitones. The 
combinations most commonly used are (2) immediately fol¬ 
lowed by (3) or by (4), or (3) followed by (4). Less com¬ 
monly (5) entered into the combinations. The enharmonic 
run (2) is very frequently sung, the small steps in the pitch 
being quite distinct; the vocalization chiu chiu, too, makes tin 
notes sound as if slurred downwards slightly in every case. The 
notes of (3), sung much faster, lose all trace of the slur, their 
sound being ch eh ch instead ol chiu chiu chiu. The notes of 
(4), an octave lower in pitch, are clear, mellow whistles, almost 
flute-like, quite different from the characteristic warble notes 
