THE STITCHBIRD 45 
and where tail was is head, the Robin’s acro- 
batic stickfast stance glued at right angles to 
mossy trunk or swinging liane, the Rifleman’s 
quick clinging run. Varieties of pose are to be 
found in every species, but not elsewhere such 
endless posturings, such infinite variety of atti- 
tudes as characterise the Stitchbird. Two of these 
are particularly remarkable: one, when the bird 
dancing along its bough stands momentarily stead- 
fast, leaning forward stretched to full height, like 
an actress with hands and arms and body swayed 
forward in a superb gesture that claims the plaudits 
of her audience; another, comically recalling the 
action of a Maori orator pacing with quick little 
steps this way and that, gesticulating first to 
right and then to left. The hen is less active, I 
think, than her volatile mate. It is her pleasure, 
in her comings and goings near the nest, often for 
long periods to wear her wings drooped like a 
brooding hen. 
The breed is guileless and innocent of wile in 
a peculiar degree; the instinct of deception even 
in a good cause seems not to enter into their 
scheme of things. At any rate, approach and 
besiegement of the nest by man and camera does 
not disturb their tranquil faith that all is for the 
best in the best possible world. Neither anger 
nor fear is evinced. They are careless, too, of 
stranger birds who may happen to have wan- 
