The Honey-eaters : The Bell-bird 
149 
simple forms of beauty undisturbed; perchance from far aloft, 
soaring on swift wings, the kea harshly screams, or from the 
rock-bound torrent comes up the wail of the blue whio; not 
a human sound strikes on the ear. Above the tawny herbage 
of a narrow flat, dotted with waving tussocks, beyond the 
green Veronica, the ruddy-leaved Dracophyllum, the spear¬ 
armed Aciphylla , that with varying foliage garnish the bosky 
terrace; dark as a brooding thunder cloud lies in a sombre 
mass, the dusky foliage of a black-stemmed beech forest, that 
stretching upwards from the river side, spreads its dark mantle 
across the steep-flanked mountain spur. On the facings of the 
gloomy wood, like rifts in threatening clouds, you may see 
from afar the scarlet hangings of our mistletoe; by its 
adherent shrub each sustaining tree is decked in gala bravery, 
some of them carry the glowing decoration high aloft, others of 
the outermost ranks have the loranth’s brilliant hues on the 
low branches that almost sweep the ground. Now on the 
enchanting scene the sun pours forth its golden flood, and 
steeps each forest glade with the wild witching of dancing 
lights and shadows, favoured by the breeze, trembling in the 
golden haze, the scarlet blooms seem near aflame as they play 
against the dark green framing of the dusky beech trees." 
The bell-bird shares with the tui the position of first place 
among the song-birds of New Zealand. Opinions as to its 
merits differ; and some surprise is felt on reading that “The 
bird which has raised the reputation of the New Zealand birds 
as singers far above their merits is a honey-sucker. It is the 
kokoromaka of the natives, and the bell-bird of the settlers 
.and although it has only four notes, these create the 
strangest melody when repeated independently by hundreds 
of throats.” (TS, Yol. 1, p. 24). The four notes referred to 
are possibly the same as the ones given by Dr. Shortland,— 
9 ™. 
