62 HOW TO IDENTIFY NEW ZEALAND BIRDS 
Brown Creeper.—December, about 7 ft. up from ground, 
frequently in black birch; nest made of moss. White egg 
marked grey and brown spots. 
Bronze Shag.—Same as Stewart Island Shag. 
Brown Petrel.—Nest in burrow some way from water. 
One white egg, 2.77—1.97. 
Brown Duck.—Nest of dry grass near water or under 
shelter of large Maori-head (Carex virgeta). Eggs cream 
coloured. 
Brown Owl (Little)—November, in hole in tree, rocks 
or walls, sometimes on ground or in rabbit hole. 
Bush Hawk or Sparrow Hawk.—November, in bunch of 
Puwharawhara, on tree very high up, sometimes on ground 
or on cliff edges. ; 
Californian QuailNovember, on ground under gorse 
bush, in tussock of grass. 
Canadian Goose.—Near bank of stream or lake. 
Cape Pigeon or Spotted Petrel—Nests in burrow; not in 
New Zealand. One white egg, 2.12—1.75. 
Caspian Tern.—October, November, to January, in slight 
hollow on the bare sand. Two eggs, brownish stone colour, 
blotched with irregular brown marks, grey under surface. 
Chaffinch.—October, November, December; forks of small 
trees, on branches, in hedges, bush almost anywhere; 4—6 
eggs, pale greenish blue, marked reddish brown all over. 
Cirl Bunting.—Fir brambles, furze -bushes, coniferous 
trees, sometimes on ground like Yellowhammer; November, 
December, January. Four or five eggs, dull white, blotched 
and veined dark brown, underlying markings of grey. 
Cook’s Petrel—Usual burrow early November; said to 
share with Tuataras. 
Crested Penguin.—Nests on bare ground, September; 1—2 
eggs, 2.58. 
Dabchick or Little Grebe.—Forms nest of roots, leaves of 
aquatic plants in swampy places near water, nest only raised 
just above water. Eggs white, 1.65. 
Diving Petrel.—Middle October, in burrows. fait a 
Dove Petrel or Whale-bird.—October, November, Decem- 
ber, in burrows like; Broad-billed Petrel. Egg 1.6. 
Fernbird (Common).—October, November. Nests oval in 
shape, often in manuka bushes, clumps of sedge, etc. White 
eggs, speckled purple and greyish red. 
Forster’s Shearwater.—October and November, in under- 
ground burrows 14 ft. to 3 ft. deep, in which one egg is 
laid, pure white in colour. 
