62 
MONCRIE FF, Birds of 11 cst Coost, N.Z. 
C The Kmu 
1st July 
the lelt, we peered into the undergrowth seeking the mysterious 
singer. Finally, the car caught us up and the Cuckoo, alarmed at 
the noise of the jarring of the brakes, flew out from just above 
us. Along the road it skimmed, showing its iridescent back, and 
alighting on a tree-top close by gazed down on us. Its black and 
white breast was revealed to the best advantage. 
The Bellbirds or Makos-makos, as the Maoris call them, all 
uttered the same tune either higher or lower. It consisted 
of three notes preceded by a staccato note, i.e., D.C.B.C. 
(this is as nearly as I can reproduce it on the piano). Some of 
the songsters were a little shrill, possibly this is their wet-weather 
song. We noticed on the return journey that, being a line day, 
all the Bellbirds were singing the same melody as those we heard 
at the Franz Josef Glacier in; the fine weather. 
Up to this time we had seen no Pigeons, but we saw one 
( Hcmiphaga novcr-seelaudicp) before arriving at Westport. Gold¬ 
finches were extremely numerous, as usual, but we passed few 
small birds. We were surprised to hear so many Shining Cuckoos 
as we went along. The Grey Warbler ( Maorigerygonc igata) 
was occasionally heard, and a few Fantails; only one Black 
Fantail ( Rhipidura fuliginosa) , however, the rest being the Pied 
or Grey Fantail ( R . flabellifera ) . 
Two Pigeons were all of interest sighted between Westport and 
Greymouth. Leaving the latter town for Punakaikai, a day’s run 
hugging the coast, we sighted two White-throated Shags (Micro- 
curb o brevirostris) on a rock before coming to a Pukekb or 
•Swamphen (Porphyria melanotus) strolling thoughtfully along 
the road. On our approach it merely stepped to one side, flick¬ 
ing its tail up and down after the characteristic manner of the 
rail family. Very shortly afterwards a Brown Bittern (Botaurus 
poiciloptiliis) emerged from a bed of rushes and flew back along 
the road. We were able to see its longitudinally striped breast, 
and remarked upon the legs hanging clumsily down as it flew. 
On our way we passed a Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) with a 
white feather in its tail. The less said about these birds the 
better—they have penetrated to the remotest places except where 
the bush is too thick for them. 
Two native Pigeons crossed the river within gunshot. Later, as 
we got further south, the Pigeons became increasingly tame, until 
eventually they would remain on a tree whilst we pulled up to 
admire them. The iridescent head and upper parts presented 
a delightful contrast to the white breast. 
From Greymouth to Hokitika we saw nothing to raise our 
enthusiasm except another extremely nonchalant Pukeko. The 
sun shining on it inclined one to believe it had stolen a peacock’s 
feathers for its breast and a whole stick of sealing-wax for its 
beak. 
Here may be the place to state that one never went far without 
seeing a Swamp-Harrier (Circus approxinians) encircling warily. 
In spite of persecution, they appear to be very numerous. 
