The Cuckoos : The Shining Cuckoo 
167 
The domed hanging nest of the riroriro is the one most 
favoured by the cuckoo; and as the opening to this nest is in 
the side, and is too small for the entrance of the larger bird, 
she lays her egg on the ground or on the stump of a tree, and 
carries it, either in her beak or in her claws, and inserts it in 
the nest. Stowell writes that the act has been observed: “the 
Maori has frequently seen the ’wharauroa at this work. For 
about eight months in the year the Maori roamed the bush 
uTB 
W 
I*eIso h, To 1 a ga ba 
v 
hpor-irno* , gives C- n tes of 
nearing pipiwharauroa at f u± 
the bay: 
j.arm 5 miles fro 
m 
1928, 
26 
Sept 
1929, 
4 
Get # 
1930, 
7 
Got, 
1932 t 
P % 
Sept 
19 32, 
24 
Sept 
1933 
a*. 
1934, 
28 
Se pt 
1935, 
11 
Oot 
1936, 
26 
Sep 
19 37, 
1? 
Sep 
1938, 
18 
Sen 
1939, 
16 
JL 
Sep 
19 40, 
10 
Oct 
letter 10 Oct. 194 
following my talJc on the air 
on co Sent., when I spoice of 
the oioiwharaarca. 
Whilst this may be so as regards the long-tailed cuckoo, it 
is possible that the shining cuckoo may, at least occasionally, 
lay in the nest itself,—for I have been assured that she has been 
seen tearing the opening until large enough to admit her; and 
that the warblers, on returning to the violated nest, have 
repaired the injury so effectively that no trace of the injury 
remained;—so that had the cuckoo’s egg been found after the 
repairs had been effected, it would have been supposd that 
the egg had been inserted into the nest, and not laid there. 
The egg of the shining cuckoo is described by Potts (Tr., Vol. 
2, 1870, p. 65), as elliptical in form, pale greenish-dun in colour, 
