Vol 'm 3 4 IV ‘] WILKINSON, Birds of Tararuas, N.Z. 
127 
were in the vicinity of the nest. It was impossible to see inside 
the hole, and we would not chop the nest out, so do not know 
how many young the nest contained. The old birds were carry¬ 
ing small insects. The opening was more like what a spider 
would use for a nest than a bird, and small as the Rifleman is, 
the parents must have had a difficulty in squeezing through the 
opening. The root in which the nest was situated was that of a 
Rata ( Metrosideros robusta). 
Halcyon vagans. Kingfisher. — The Kingfisher can often be 
seen on the foothills at the edge of the bush close to the rivers. 
1 have not seen its nest on the ranges, but found several on the 
plains. I think this bird has increased a little in these parts 
during the last few years. 
Lamprococcyx lucidus. Shining Cuckoo. A bird whose pleas¬ 
ant notes can be heard all day long through the summer months 
upon the mountains. This bird generally puts in an appearance 
here early in October. Mr. Stidolph first heard them in 1922, 
on the 14th October, and in 1923 we both heard them for the 
first time on the same date. 
Urodynamis taitensis. Long-tailed Cuckoo.-—Like the Shining 
Cuckoo, this bird is fairly common, and can be heard screeching 
at night as well as in the day-time. Although you may hear one 
screeching.in a tree a short distance away, you will be lucky if 
you get a glimpse of the bird, as it is shy and wary, and moves 
off unless approached very quietly. 
I was out on the ranges a few months ago with a party which 
included a bushman who could imitate the bird’s screech to 
perfection. We were on top of a leading ridge, when the bush- 
man gave one or twc screeches, and almost immediately a Long¬ 
tailed Cuckoo settled in a tree just above our heads. As we were 
in sub-alpine scrub (Stunted Beech, Nothofagus Mensiesii ) not 
ten feet high, we had a good view of the bird. 1 he Cuckoo 
could not understand where the other bird that was calling was, 
and stayed in the tree for about five minutes peering down, while 
we kept as still as possible. After another minute’s inspection, 
he gave a wild screech, and then flew into a gully. 
Nestor mcridionalis. Kaka.—The Kaka, once the commonest 
bird on the ranges, is now rather scarce. On a day’s tramp 
one or two may be heard, but more often the note book will 
show that the Kaka was not at home. On certain parts of the 
Tararuas, however, it is still possible to see them, sometimes 
six or eight together. They are birds which can be called down 
by anyone conversant with their notes. After a flock settles in 
the trees any unusual noise, as long as it is not too loud, vyill 
keep them there, and by imitating some of their notes they can 
be enticed almost to the ground. Uttering their harsh cries, 
some of the flock will fly away a chain or so, but keep on making 
a clicking sound with the tongue against the roof of the mouth, 
and back they will come, more excited than ever. By this time 
we noticed that other inhabitants of the bush have come along 
