186 NEW ZEALAND NATURE-STUDY BOOK 
requisition. Both male and female take part in the 
work, but the latter seems to bear the larger share. The 
strength of the structure is tested in many ways. It is 
trampled down, and the webs are carried from the interior 
to the outside in festoons from left to right, and right to 
left, as far down as the beak can reach. The - wall 
gradually rises and the bird, with elevated tail, is itself the 
mould by which the rounded cavity is shaped. Seated in 
the centre of the rising structure, it turns repeatedly, 
fluttering its wings and keeping the wall pressed out to its 
proper shape. Its head and chin are pressed on the top, 
and the materials are pulled in towards the centre. This 
manouvre is repeated at frequent intervals. So earnest 
are the workers that for hours together they scarcely rest. 
Sometimes by a flutter they obtain a few insects, or the 
creek is visited for water. The Fantail is one of the latest 
birds to retire to roost, his peculiar twitter being heard 
long after all the other birds have become silent.” 
The food consists chiefly of insects, most of which are 
caught on the wing. 
The Kingfisher (Kotare). : 
The Kingfisher belongs toan order of birds differing from 
the one we have been considering in many important 
particulars. He is found almost everywhere in both islands 
and is well known to everybody. 
In size the Kingfisher is rather smaller than the 
Blackbird—the body is long, the head and bill are large, 
and the legs and feet weak. The colouring of the feathers 
is extremely brilliant, the top of the head and the upper 
part of the back are green, whilst the lower portion of the 
back is a bright blue. The wings and tail are a glossy 
dark blue. A band of yellowish white encircles the neck 
and extends to the upper portion of the breast—the lower 
part of the breast is marked with brown. The sexes are 
