278 
STIDOI/PH, Birds of Wairarapa Plains [ T A P riT* u 
Birds of the Wairarapa Plains 
By ROBT. H. D. STIDOLPH, R.A.O.U., Wellington, N.Z. 
These notes are supplementary to those published in Limn, Vol. 
XXIII., pages 20-27, to which paper I would refer readers for 
a description and map of the country under review. I left the 
district in June, 1924, and in consequence most of my notes ter¬ 
minated with my departure. Again I have to gratefully acknow¬ 
ledge to Mr. A. S. Wilkinson, R.A.O.U., my indebtedness for 
interesting notes and much help. Since writing my last paper I 
can add four more species to the birds of the district, namely: 
Tomtit ( Myiomoira toitoi), Black Pan tail ( Rhipidura full gin os a) 
and Paradise Duck ( Casarca variegata ), and the introduced 
Brown Quail ( Synoicus australis). The latter was noted by Mr. 
Wilkinson on two occasions. 
Grey Warbler ( G erg gone igata). — On the 27th January, 1924, a 
pair of these birds was seen feeding a young Shining Cuckoo (Larn- 
prococcyx lucidus). The cuckoo was fed mainly on a small yellow¬ 
ish-brown caterpillar common amongst manuka (Lcptospermum ). 
The Warbler is one of the few birds that trills its cheery notes 
throughout the year. During a week-end visit to the Wairarapa, on 
the 26th October last, Mr. Wilkinson located a Warbler’s nest in a 
Leptospermum scoparium (manuka). It was placed 10 feet from the 
ground, and was secured on the top, sides and bottom with sprays of 
manuka. The nest was composed mostly of moss, dry rootlets and 
stems, and was lined with white feathers. Its most conspicuous 
feature was a porch (built practically entirely of dry rootlets), which 
protruded over the entrance hole for a in. The nest measured as 
follows: — Length, 43 in.; width, in.; diameter of entrance hole, 1| 
in. The nest contained young. This pair of Warblers was particu¬ 
larly confident. We soon had erected a stage, and from this took the 
accompanying photograph at a distance of only 2 ft. 8 in. from the 
bird. Mr. Wilkinson has found this species to be very abundant in 
the 1924 season. 
North Island Tomtit (Myiomoira toitoi). — A rare visitor. On the 
4th November, 1923, Mr. Wilkinson saw a male bird, and on the 20th 
February and the 16th March of the following year I observed a male 
on each occasion. I have no record of this bird breeding in the 
district. 
Black Fantail ( Rhipidura fuliginosa). — A rare visitor. About 
three years ago a specimen of this bird was killed by a cat, in a' 
suburb of Masterton. In the early part of 1924 I saw another Black 
Fantail in the district. 
Grey-backed Silver-eye (Zosterops lateralis). —I have noted nests 
in a tawa (BeVschmiedia tawa), seven feet from ground, and in a 
young totara (Podocarpus totara) on the end of a branch, five feet 
from ground. The latter nest was built almost entirely of wool, 
finished off with a little moss on the rim. I have noted it feeding on 
the small black seeds of the muhlenbeckia. 
Tui (Prosthemadera novx-seelandiae) . — On the 17th June, 1923, 
I visited a twenty-acre patch of hill-side brush, three miles from Mas¬ 
terton. To my great surprise, it contained about twenty-five Tuis — 
some were playing pranks in the air, others were singing melodi¬ 
ously, more were feasting on the fleshy perianth of the muhlenbeckia, 
and others again were flying impetuously from bush to bush. There 
were six or eight singing at one time. Their notes varied greatly. 
One bird specialised in croaks, one gave a call somewhat like that of 
a Kingfisher, another gave the :n as if it could not utter them quickly 
