142 
Bird-Song : and New Zealand Song Birds 
to save the Colony from this reproach. ’ ’ And this was written 
by a collector so inveterate that he could shoot the only paip 
o w lute-heads that he had seen for ten years. After his depre 
dations on Little Barrier, too, A. Reischek had the hardihood 
to write: (Tr. Vol 24 1899 r> 871 “n 100(1 
) ' -*> loy -> P- These very rare birds 
will soon disappear, even from these lonely wilds, owing to the 
domestic wild cats.” Buller (BN, Suppt. Vol. 1, p. xxxii.) 
states that Reischek and other collectors took about 150 specimens 
°t the bmd from the island before it was proclaimed a sanctuarv 
Ot the sixteen Maori names recorded (WJ p 199 ) the 0 ne 
most commonly in use is hihi. The name tiora, mentioned by 
eisc ek above, is evidently a local name. 
The tufts at the ears of the bird were given by Maui 
after his snaring of the sun, which exploit has been related in 
connection with the kokako (crow). 
The bell-bird,— Male, yellowish-olivaceous, the head tinged 
with steel-black. Wings and tail brownish black. Eye blood¬ 
ied. Female and young, brownish-olivaceous; wings and tail 
brown; a white line from the bill towards the sides of the neck, 
the female is rather smaller than the male. Bill, black; toes 
leaden grey. Total length of male, 7| in., of which the tail is 
Si m. 
Eggs—Four; delicate white, sometimes flushed with a very 
faint pink glow , piofusely marked, principally towards the 
larger end, with reddish-brown spots; rarely pure white; some¬ 
times speckled with a few spots or blotches, or marked with 
fine hair-like lines. Length, almost 1 in., breadth almost f in. 
Nest .—In following description by Potts. 
Habit:;. The finest description of the bird and its habits are, 
again, by that excellent follower of Gilbert White—Potts 
(PO, p. 113 et seq.) 
.may be said to sing matins and vespers for the 
warblers of the woods, as it is at the grey break of dawn, and in 
the still hour that closes in the day, that its chimes strike clearest 
on the ear. It is comparatively silent during the noontide 
