68 BIRD LIFE ON ISLAND AND SHORE 
In Little Barrier Island, where the Robin— 
though not this singing strain—is still plentiful, 
we witnessed in one particular pair, courtship, 
construction of nest, care of male for female 
during the nesting period, feeding of young, and 
finally, widowhood of the surviving parent. Court- 
ship was already in progress during the first week 
of October, the cock from time to time offering 
small worms and small caterpillars to the lady 
of his heart, and she receiving them with drooped 
frame and flutter of wings. It was interesting 
to note the selection of material for the nest; it 
was chosen, not like a man shopping who takes 
the foremost article offered, but like a lady of 
mind and means who tries and tests. With her 
feet set and braced like a dog pulling at his master’s 
stick, the hen would tug and strain at the dry 
brown aerial rootlets of tree-fern trunks; only 
the soundest stuff would serve her purposes. A 
dusty tangle, naturally strung together with cob- 
webs, was always an attraction, and could be 
steered nestwards with wonderful exactitude. On 
one occasion, whilst the nest was half constructed, 
she managed, like an animated kite, to trail 
behind her a yard long mass of web, amongst 
which dangled leaves and brittle husks of twig. 
This long-drawn train was navigated successfully 
through intricacies of greenery, sere tree-fern 
fronds, and jagged bark of all sorts of intervening 
