[5] Pied Fantail. Piwakawaka (Rhipidura flabellifera.)—A small fly-catcher; plumage greyish brown. While busily engaged catching mosquitos or sand flies, these birds steer with their fan-shaped tails, making fantastic evolutions in the air. When a fantail has spied out with its big black eyes the hiding place of the owl, in the daytime it will call its mates together and show them the spot where their enemy dwells, and then all the birds dart at the owl, and fly round and round, annoying it in every possible manner until they chase it away.—A. R.
[6] The little Brown Owl, or Morepork. Ruru. (Athene novæ Zealandiæ.)—The size and plumage is the same as that of the European Stone Owl. As soon as darkness covers the land, the Moreporks appear silently swooping through the air, or darting suddenly after insects. Woe to any small bird which happens to chirp in its dreams, or to any rat which is taking a walk abroad, they will be sure to be detected by the bright yellow eyes of these nocturnal wanderers. On one occasion I saw one of these owls dart down on a large rat, fly with it high into the air, then let it drop, and, again darting down upon it, it repeated the operation till the rat was dead. The bird then proceeded most systematically to skin its prey, and, after feasting on the flesh, flew to the nearest tree, where it gave a few contented calls of “Morepork,” and then sat like an image, with its piercing eyes gazing on the ground in search of other prey.—A. R.
[7] North Island Crow. Kokako. (Glaucopis wilsoni.)—A bird about the size of a jay; plumage of a slaty-grey. In the North Island it has blue wattles, in the South, orange with blue. This bird inhabits the secluded slopes of mountains, hopping swiftly through the forest, or hiding itself and peering through the boughs. Its note is melodious, and similar to that of a flute, and in the pairing season the male dances up and down on a branch, with his tail and wings out-spread, making at the same time a gurgling noise to attract the female bird’s attention, who sits near by, looking on in quiet admiration.—A. R.
[8] The Tuatara (Splenodon punebatum) is one of the peculiar animals of New Zealand. It is a lizard-like animal, rather less than two feet in length. It was formerly found on the mainland, but is now confined to a few of the outlying islands which are seldom visited. It has no near relative amongst existing lizards, and its nearest allies are certain fossil saurians of a remote geological period (Lianic). A. P. W. T.
Vegetable Caterpillar.
[9] A caterpillar found in the New Zealand forest, which, when it buries itself in the ground previous to its change into the perfect winged form, is attacked by a kind of fungus.
The fungus spreads through the substance of the caterpillar, upon which it lives; it then sends up a stem from the neck of its victim, and this stem appears above ground, growing to the length of some eight or ten inches. From its slightly thickened end, spores are shed.
The caterpillar becomes hard and dry, and its skin being filled with the wood-like substance of the fungus, its natural shape is preserved.—A. P. W. T.
[10] Grey Robin. Toutouwai. (Petrœca longipes.)—A bird very much like the Robin Red-breast. The plumage is grey, with a yellowish-white breast. Robins are very tame birds, and can easily be made pets; they will often come into a tent. When I was camping in the forest, a pair came into my hut, ate off my plate, drank and bathed in my tin mug, sat on my dog’s back, and, when I did not get up by daybreak, actually pulled my beard and sat on my blanket. They often followed me on my expeditions for miles, and were so jealous that they would not let any other robins come near my camp.—A. R.
Tomtit, or Black Robin. (Petrœca macrocephala.)—A bird of the size of a titmouse; plumage black, with yellow and white on the breast. On the Little Barrier Island, off the coast of the Auckland province, a pair came to my camp every morning to get a little porridge or a few crumbs. If I did not feed them at once they would come to the entrance of my tent, and whistling, ask for food. One morning, to my delight, they brought a family of three pretty little birds covered with yellow speckles. As soon as I gave them oatmeal they fed their young with it. They stayed with me till I broke up my camp.—A. R.