128 
WILKINSON, Birds of Tararuas, N.Z. [™t o” u 
to see what all the noise was about. This is, I think one of the 
most delightful sights a bird-lover can witness, to see half a 
dozen different species of birds all flocking together, curiosity 
showing in every movement, all of them peering down trying 
to find out what sort of a bird was making the queer noises 
beneath them. However much we wanted to stay and watch 
them, our time was limited, and we had to move on. I have 
not seen the nest of this bird on the Tararuas. 
Cyanorhamphus novcc-zealandicc. Red-fronted Parrakeet.—The 
bird under notice is not very common on the ranges. In the 
spring it can often be seen low down on the Kotukutuku, the 
berries and young shoots being the attraction. It must often 
during the winter months have a hard struggle to obtain a meal. 
I have a male of this species that I have had for nearly 10 years, 
and he is a lovely bird. I had a pair of them, which I kept in 
a large aviary, but the female died about two years ago. 
Cyanorhamphus auriceps. Yellow-fronted Parrakeet. — This 
Parrakeet is even scarcer than the preceding one. I have seen 
this bird, too, feeding on the Fuchsia, and on one occasion I was 
within a few feet of one that was too busily engaged in eating 
the berries of that tree to notice me. The possum has not yet 
reached the part of the ranges to which I am referring, where 
there are acres of these trees, and one can nearly always see some 
birds there, especially Honeyeaters, and often Pigeons. 
Nesierax australis. Bush Hawk. — I have seen this bird only 
once on the mountains, and that was in the Tauherenikau Valley 
on the 11th November, 1923. He was flying up the valley just 
at daylight, giving a shrill cry, which I should imagine would 
strike terror into the heart of any bird. Although it generally 
lives in the mountains, it sometimes comes down on to the plains. 
I once saw this bird catch a Sparrow on a stack of oats. The 
Hawk came round the stack like a flash, and caught the Sparrow, 
and flew off to some trees close by, where it could be observed 
devouring its victim. 
Circus gouldi. Harrier. — Although a bird of the plains, this 
fine Harrier can often be seen flying around on the ranges, par¬ 
ticularly over the bush clearings on the foothills after rabbits, 
or some luckless lamb that has died. The nesting site of this 
bird is generally in a swamp. I have known two nest^ both 
situated in raupo swamps, one quite close to my place, where I 
had ample time and opportunities for observing the nest. When 
found, the nest contained two young ones, which when ap¬ 
proached too closely, would throw themselves down with their 
ugly-looking claws sticking up in the air. It was amusing to 
watch them when they adopted this menacing attitude. 
Ninox novcc-seelandicc . Morepork, Spotted Owl. — The More- 
pork is rather scarce, and is more often heard than seen. By 
anyone conversant with their habits, they can often be found in 
the day-time. They like the dark gullies and thickest bush, and 
sometimes one tramping through these places will find one 
