Full Article - Notornis and Birds New Zealand

Vol. 4. No. 8.
April, 1952
Notornis
In continuation of New Zealand Bird Notes.
Bulletin o f the Ornithological Society of N e u Zealand.
Published Quarterly.
I n cont'inuation of New Zealand B i r d Notes.
Bulletin of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand.
Regist'ered w i t h t h e G.P.O., Wellington, a s a Magazine.
Edited by R. H. D. S T I D O L P H , 114 Cole Street, Masterton.
Annual Subscription, 5 / - ; Endowment Membership, 10/-; L i f e Membership, .€S.
BACK NUMBERS AVAILABLE.-Vol.
1, 15,'-; Vol. 2, 10,'-; Vol. 3, 10/-.
O F F I C E R S 1951-52.
President-MR.
E. G. TURBOTT (.lluseum, Auckland).
South Island Vice-President-Professor
B. J. il1ARPLIES (Museum, D u n e d i n ) .
Rd., TVellington
North Island Vice-President-MR.
C. A. FLEMING, 4",Vadestown
Secretary-Treasurer-m.
J. M. CUNNINGHAM, 39 Rerrall St., Masterton.
Recorder-Mr.
H. R. DIcI<ENZIE, Clevedon.
Regional Organisers.-Auckland,
M R . J. C. DAVENPORT (718 Remuera Road,
Auckland, E.C. 2 ) ; H a w k e ' s Bay. REV. F . H. RORERTSON, Lindisfarne
H a s t i n g s ) . \Vellingto~i, DR. R. A. FALLA (Dominion Museum) C h r i s ~ c h u r c h '
MR. E. X+. DATVSON ( 2 7 1 P a p a n u i Road) ; Dunedin, M R S . ' I . T I L Y ( 3 6
Stonelaw Terrace, Maori H i l l ) .
.
Vol. 4
No. S
Pnblishcd Qnartcrly.
Al'RI.li, l
CONTENTS.
I'agc
Notornis in March, 1951, by G. R. TVilliams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Some Food of North 1sl:md Kiwi, by L. G u r r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Rnndom Notes on the Kiwi, by .I. I). Clnrk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
211
Tcrck S : m d l ~ i l ~ ea rt Miranda, by H. R. I\lcKenzie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Bro\vn Booby in H;:nr:~lri Gulf. 11). 1' d. S. Stein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
I n d e x . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
NOTES.-.4nnnal
Meeting, 2 0 1 ; AIeetings in Masterton, 2 0 1 ; Hudsonian Godwit a t
Ituakaka, 208; Breeding of Grey Dock, 210; Meeting of Dunedin n l e n ~ l ~ c r s ,
210; Nest Rscords a n d Beach Patrols, 212; Giant Petrel Recovery, 213; Norlh
Tslnnd Colony of Spotted Shags, 214; B i r d Song Records Wanted, 214; Glossy
I b i s in \Vcstlnird, 2 1 4 ; IZinging. 201; N e w 3Icml~crs,214.
ANNUAL 1\,TEETING-In aceordcnco Avith t h e society's constitution,
notice is given t h a t noniina1,inns of office~rsof the society f o r t h e ensuing
financial year are to 11c in t h e hand~s of the scc:~et:~rvnot later than
April 14. Such nominations nrust be in1 writing, lm signed b y twol
~ r ~ c n ~ h ea~n d
, s ,h o :~ccompanicd :by t h e written consent of the nominee.
Where r ~ ononrinatiou is received f o r any officc, t h e retiring officer is
decn~etl t o b e -re-nol~rinatctl. The retiriug officers, listed nbove, a r c
eligi*l)lef o r re-clection. Kotice of business to b e cliscussed at thc anr;u:d
111ec1,inglust also the in tile hancls of t h e secretary b y Ap'ril 14. The
~ ~ ~ c e t will
i n g be hclil this y e w in Chri!;tcl~ureh 011 the evening of Friday,
M a y 16, and a notice c ; ~ l l i n gthe ~ n c e t i n gwill be posted later.
A~IEE1TNG;SI N l\lAS7.'I:,RrPO'N.-&,lasterton a n d di'strict members, a t
lneeting held a t Wairarnps College on September 28, 1951, saw a fine
series of f i l n ~ sof su'b-antarctic l~jrtl-life,show^^ by t h e president, Mr. E,.
G. 'l'nrbott. There ~ m as I x g e attendance anil su,pper was served. On
August 4, : d ~ o n t20 m c n h e r s visited n large starling roost near 3 ) l : ~ s t e ~ t o n .
A t t h a t da.te i t \\.:LS e,stinmted t h a t there were about 80,000 birds i n t h e
roost.
;L
1ilNGING.-Nembers
a r e r e q ~ c s t e d t o conlplete their linging
scheclnlcs a n d retnrn them innnediately to t h e convener of t h e Ringing
Cornnnttce, Mr. J. 11. Cunningham. All rings used up t o 3la1ch 31
should be shon n, together with all "repeats" anld "recoveries. "
NOTORNLS l N MARCH, 1951.
A REPORT OE' 'I'IIE: SIXTH EXPEDI'L'ION.
.By G. R. ~ ' i l l i a ~ n :(X.Z.
,
Wildlife Service).
Bet\\-cen the dates of 3::th and 1'9t!! March, 1951, a sisth party of
oml-)servers cornprising l?. L. Ncwcon~be, F. Woodrow a n d C. K. McIvor
a n d the writer ca.rried out a reconnaisannce in t h a t p a r t of the Murchison
1iang.e i,n t h e Fiordland National I'ark t h a t i s the only known habitat of
t h e takahe (Notornis hochsrtettieri). One of t h e party, P. TVoodrow, had
spent a g r e a t desl of time in thc a r e a snaring deer a n d trapping possihle
predators hetween early Novelnher, 3950, arid t h e initial d a t e of this
experlitinn. H e h a d :~'lsoreconnoitred new country, finding further small
colonics 01 ta.kahe to t h e south and west. The princip:~! ol~je'ctsof our
visit were three-Sold:(,i) To assess the reisultn of t,he 1050-.?l Breeding season;
( i i ) To a d d further t o Gut ktrowletl~geof the general behaviour of
the ljirrls hy making a vi,sit a t a t,inle a.t I\-hich there! had been
no previous study;
(iii) To rndte a census which I\-oultl include thosc :l?eas \\-here 111o1.c
t:~lr:the \yore recently fonn(1.
l h i s paper i:1 a r e ~ o r dof the pooled ol~servationsof t,!ie ~ n e n r l ~ e r s
of t h e party.
The rcsuks obtained, t,oget,Iie~r n-it11 those fronr earlier parties
( F a h .IN!?, 1951 ; Pleming, 19.51; Nier's, 1950; T u ~ i s o t t ,111.51; Williams,
1050) furnisn :L recorti t h a t cc)\-crs the year except I'or t h a t p a l t I.~et\reen
mid-autunm and l a t e winter. I l o s t of tlie,se authors hzve ilescrihctl the
h a b i t a t i n some deixil h u t so Par no u ~ e n t i o nhas ~ l ~ e enrade
n
of rainfall
which .is proimhly a t least 100 inclres annually.
I 7
1:J':fSULTS O F THE 1950-51 BRqEE;DlhTGSIGASON.
'I'he last fe\\-'months of 3930 and t h e first three 1 1 1 o n t 1of~ 1951 \\-ere
unusually d r y a n d wild in t h e South I ~ ~ l i ~a nndd the autumn was notable
n o t o,111y f o r t h c low levels t o which all the lalms fell ( t h a t in Takahe
Valley wa's approsin1:~tely one foot below t h e February, 1950, levelj h u t
g
shrubs.
a,lso f o r t h e heavy crops borne b y t h e I ~ e r r y - p ~ o d u c i n11:rtive
I t is quite possible t h a t this rnild season hacl i t s effect on t h e outcome
of tho breecliug scasou of N80t~ornis.Hatching of chicks had occurred a s
early a s t h e e i ~ dof O'ctol~er o r the beginning of -November, for t h a t
melubcr of our p a r t y on duty ill the a w l in mid-November saw a chick
at t h x t t,inie i)ei~lgf e d hy thc parcr~ts. By M ; ~ r e h:I, total of five diflereut
chicks llsd beer1 reeorcled :it one t i ~ ~ !or
e attother :ti:(l t h e w w a s evidence
i n t h e way of f a i r l y recent ehick d r o p p i ~ ~ gtha.t
s
two inore had been
hatched. TII Fcbluary, 1950, only one ehic.1i as lrr~own10 31c surviving
i n a n area where three were found ,in t h k follon-ing season. The five
definitely recortled cilicks were rlistril~nteil ns follows: 'Fn-o in Taknhc
Vzlley, two in t h e P o i n t Bucn and one in t h e so-called Mystery Burn
which saddles with t h e south-~vosternside of t h e Point Hnrn. The two
chicks whosc existencc was snpporled (17y only c i r c u n ~ s t a r ~ t i aevidence
l
were locatecl, one tin a cofrie ou t h e l'oint Hurn side of the ridge between
t h a t valley a n d t h e Mystery Uulm, and the other on the 'southern side of
t h e head of Takzhe Valley. I t irill ,be corl\;enient when describing t h e
whercal~o~~
cft st , l l ~chicks in tho two 111airi \;alleys t o r c f e r t o Fleniing's
m a p of the a r e a given on page l17 of Notornis 4 (.?), .Tulp, 19.51. Tn
Takaht. V:r'lley pairs A and C ( t h e l a t t e r probably t h e i;:bnle :is pair J )
hatched :L ehick c a d ; a n d in the Point H'urn, pair Cr. had :L n-ell-gron-n
youngster, and y e t another \\m aeco:npanying a pa.ir ~ v h i c h nlight be
called "TJ"
found occupying g r o u , ~ ~ talt over 3,000 feet x.s.1. a t the
north-western hoad 02 .the P o i n t l3u1.11. Evidence \\-ill he offered later
which suggests strongly t h a t pairs A aucl C: a r e t h e s:me 3s thosc k n o ~ v n
t o h a r e hatched a n d a t least p r t i a l l y - r a i s e chick's in t h e 1949-50 season.
1 % ~ A presumably raised :L chicli ill t h e 1848-49 scason also (E'all:~
7919). P a i r D, 3\-11o tre!re. ~ I I C I W T ro
I
I!:i\-t: l~atchetl :I chick in early
202
December, 1949, were not seen to have done so this year. However, one
of this pair was reported on January l l t h , 1951, t o still be sitting on a n
empty nest which i t had occupied for a t least 36 days. To the quota
of addled and infertile eggs listed by Falla (loc. cit) may be added yet
another found (by F. Woodrow i n the E t h i c k Burn. I t s dimensions were
7.32cm. X 4.94cm.
6
THE MOULT.
At the time of this survey the adult post-nuptial moult was virtually
over a s only a few shed feathers were found and the adult birds were
in magnificent plumage. I n early February of the previous year the
moult was in full progress and qumbers of dropped feathers were found
in the n~oulting place,s which were usually situated beneath shrubs.
From observations made iby me on previous visits and from reports
already published (Falla, 1949) it appears that the post-nuptial moult
begins about the latter part of January and continues until about the
beginning of March. As for the chicks, they have shed most of their
dowr, a t about eight weeks of age : ~ n dhave assumed in i t s place a first
teleoptyle plumage similar t o that of the adult . (Fleming, loc. cit.)
The time a t which this change occurs has been calculated from observations made on the live dgwny chick, then less than six weeks of age
belonging to pair A that was seen by the party i n February, 1950, and
from the appearance of the' dead chiclr found a t the same time which
had almost certainly been seen alive in mid-December and so was
approxiniat~lyeight to ten weeks old During our stay only one young
bird was seen a t close quarters-it
belonged to pair G. and was about
three-quarters of the adult size. This is lsrger than any chick previously
observed and i t is assumed therefore that the age i n this case was
somewhere between three and four months. The untidy plumage of the
head, neck and dorsal surface appeared, in the short glimpses t h a t were
had of it, to be a very dark brown with paler mottlin'g and the colour
of the bill was still t,he dull slatey grey of the fledgling stage but
without any white a t the tip. Falla, in a personal communication, has
recalled that some first teleoptyle p l m a g e s lose their bright colours
rather rapidly and Fleming has remarked (loc. cit.) t h a t the down 6f
adolescent rails soon fades. I n the pukeko (Porphyrio polioeephdw) to
which the takahe is closely allied (Mayr 1949) the appearance of the
downy chick ia very similar indeed to that of Notornis and incipient
quills faintlly blue in colour appear nix weeks after hatching. Between
the eighth and twelfth week tail feathers become well-developed but
the frontal shield and legs are a t this time still only tinged with red.
At %bout iourteen weeks the assumption of adult plumage i s almost
~ o m p l e t e(Guthrie-Smith, 1927).
BEHAVIOUR O F T B E CHICK.
Observations were confined t o the young bird belonging to pair G,
as the other two seen (that )belonging to pair L and the one i n the
Mystery Burn) were so wary and shy a s t o make any useful observation
impossible. P a i r G's chick was shy also but fortunately was more
suitably placed for careful stalking. Although the birds of pair A werc
observed nmny timcs a t close range during the course of our visit, the
well-gown Deceaber-hatched chick that, fro= time to time, was seen
to be regnlarly in their company until the end of F'ebruary was now no
longer with them and so i n t h e absence of any evidence to the contrary
is presumed to have left them permanently. I t was last seen during the
first week of March feeding independently of the parents and was then
extremely shy. Pair C (or J) and their youngster were last reported
together i n late December. The pariy was unable to find them on their
territory although fresh feeding signs and droppings mere present. When
undisturbed, pair G's chick mas always found i n conlpany with i t s
parents and on one occasion was observed between them moving a t a
good walking pace through the beech forest and keeping up a continuous
hoarse whistle (a. bass version of the juvenile "cheep")
which was
frequently answered by a soft "klowp" from one or both of the closely-
203
attendant adults. On catching sight of the observer all broke into a
very fast run and made off in different directions, the young bird moving
with great speed, its head held so low that no part of the body was
visible above the tussocks of the snow grasses. After being separated
from the parents for a short time it uttered what was perhaps a distress
cry or a n attempt to make the aduglt assembly call. This was a peculiar
harsh and jangling medley of sounds difficult to describe and unlike any
call yet heard from an adult. Observations made a t a slighllly earlier
date on the chick belonging to pair A have indicated that about this
age the young bird is quite able to feed itself without any as,sistance
from tho parents.
ADULT BEHAVIOUR..
Feeding.-The following plants are now known to be used as food,
the list being compiled from a collection of those species that the birds
have actually been seen to be eating or those showing the typical feeding
signs of fallen shoots with cleanly-nipped leaf bases. Analysis of the
droppings has not proceeded very f a r because of the difficult and timeconsuming nature of the work.
Family.
Species.
P a r t s Eaten
Seeds
Gramineae
ApmstCs dyeri
Danmonia crassiuscul~
Leaf bases
,,
flavescens
Seeds and leaf bases
,,
rigicla
Leaf bases
,,
setif olia '
Leaf bases
,,
teretifolia
Leaf bases
Festuca m a t t h m i i
Seeds
Hierochloe a l p h a
Seeds
Poa aolensoi
Seeds and leaf bases
Cyperaceae
Carex testacea
Leaf bases
Violaceae
Viola filicaulis
Leaves
Umbellif era0
Leaf bases
Aciphylla cuthbcrtiana
Compsitae
Celmisia petriai
Leaf bases
,,
verbascifolia
Leaf bases
.
Most of these items, except, of course, the seeds, seem to be eaten
all the year round, but the Dantbmias make up by f a r the bulk of the
food. When availabde, the seeds of Feectuci matthewsid are taken in
great quantity. I t is not claimed that the list is exhaustive, for in winter
a t least there is evidence t h a t the diet includes other material-some
change being made necessary because of occasional heavy snowfalls
covering up the usual foodstuffs. The insectivorous habit of the fledgling
has already been the subject of some discussion by Gurr (1951).
OCCUPATION OF TERRITORY.
This was still a well-marked feature of the behaviour of paired birds
and i t would be as well here to list those grounds upon which evidence
for i t is based:(i) The Occurrence of Droppings: These are generally long-lasting,
perhaps remaining for years in dry sheltered positions although likely
to be destroyed by heavy rain when fresh; and the distinction between
fresh, recent and old droppings i s easily and readily m a d e b e i n g
Indicated in the recent and old by t h e degree of bleaching and the
shrinkage of the components. I t is noticeable that fresh and recent
droppings are usually found in m-ell-defined areas separated by expanses
wherc only a few old droppings exist.
(ii) Feeding Signs: Once again c1a:;sificstion int:, age classee is
possible. The limits of these cannot be lefined 3 3 clearly a s those of
the droppings but there is close accordancc in the distribution of
corresponding age classes of droppings and feeding relics.
(Fi) Calling and Sight Records: These are most frequent in the
vicimty of those places where they have been reported on previous Visits
and are separated by areas where the ,birds are rarely seen or heard even
though the habitat seems suitable.
(iv.) Distribution of Nests: New and old nests have been found
concentrated i n much the same places for three seasons now.
(v.) The Movements of 4Llabelled" Pairs: By studying pairs
accompanied by a chick-pabr A i n the 1949-50 season and pair G in the
1950-51 season-it has been possible to get a clear picture of the territory
each family was occupying.
(vi,) Fighting: Disputes over what were apparently territorial
infringements have been seen by a numlber of observers during the spring
and early summer months (e.g. Falla 1949).
All the criteria mentioned above show a n excellent degree of correspondence in the areas i n wbich they occur. However, tho fact that
droppings and feeding s i p s can be found linking the apeas of concentration indicates that more extensive movements do occur and there is
evidence that these are commonest in winter and early spring when food
is in shorter supply and has to be sought more actively. Unmated birds,
too, would be expected to show a greater tendency to wander than mated
palrs.
Territorial behaviour so constant in i t s manifestation ( c f . Cramp's
comments (1947) on territory in the coot, Fulica a. atra) indicates that
the pair bond once formed is of long duration and that the life span of
a bird is a t least of t h e order of the total period the species has been
under observation t o date-that
is, .about three years. T'his i s not
unlikely for a bird the size of a takahe. To what extent a very low
replacement rate in the numfbcr of chicks successfully hatched and raised
yearly is offset by a correspondingly long expectation of life will not
be known until more has been discovered about the population trends.
This must await the institution of a banding programme which will, a t
the same tine, supply important and reliable information on territory
and generat1 behaviour.
Flemlng (loc. cit.) has discussed in a n interesting fashion the
functional morphology of Notornis and has compared i t with that of
Porphyrio, dram-ing attention to Mayr's remarks already cited on the
systematic affinities of the two genera. I n bohaviour, too, there are
points of resemblance although there i s surprisingly little of real value
in the literature concerning the behaviour of Porphyrio i n detail and,
of course, theie has been little chance yet to study Notornis intensively.
But for those who are interested there is much t h a t is suggestive to be
gleaned from a reading of the papers of Berney (1907) and Mathews
(1911) and the book of Guthrie-Smith (1927) already quoted in reference
to the moult. Further, i t is well-known that in the Rallidae both sexes
very frequently s h x e the task of incubation and this is so with the
pukeko. So far, i t seems to have been generally assumed that only the
female attends to this task in the case of the takahe. Since there are
no obvious secondary sex characteristics in this species except, perhaps,
the rather unreliable one of size to dlom for discrimination, the
possibility should be entertained that the male and female both take
part i n this activity.
THE CENSUS.
The party covered as much a s possible of the known range of the
takahe and in this i t was greatly assisted by the more extensive and solo
explorations made earlier in the year by F. Woodrow. I t was in the
course of this work that he found the small colonies further to the south
and west just beyond the 'limits of the previously known range.
Using Falla's (1951) enumeration of pairs a s a basis we may
summarise the position a s we found i t in March, 1951, as follows:Pair A.-Still on territory. Had a mell-grown chick last seen a t the end
of February.
205
Pair B.-Not
seen, but as was the case in the previous, year, their
existence is presumed from fresh feeding signs and remains of
recent nests. The territory of this pair is on the open tops
bounding the northern side of Takahe Valley and is wellseparated from the valley itself by steep.slopes and limestone
bluff S.
Pair C.-Presumed by us to be the same as pair J. Seen last with a
chick in late Deceinber. None of these birds were sean during
this expedition, but the presence of a t least one bird is
suggested by the occurrence within the bounds of their territory
of fresh droppings and feeding signs. The Danthonia grasses
grow particularly luxuriantly hereabouts and afford excellent
and ample cover.
Pair D.-Appar'ently not breeding this year. Hatched a chick last year
which lster died.
Pair E.-No nest founic. Two addled eggs laid last year.
Pair F.-In
an unpublished report Miers records this pair as near the
head of Takahe Valley. I t s existence was stated to be doubtful
by Falla (1951). The party found two paira in the vicinity
of the valley head-seeing
one pair whilst hearing a second
pair cdl. Ono I
call F, the other K.
Pair G.-Seen
with a well-grown chick. Had one egg in the pre--:ous
season, the f a t e of which is unknown.
Pair H.-Reported
by Mien to be above the forest line on the southern side of the Point Burn. This record is based on the hearing
of a call. Falla reports it as doubtful, with which opinion
we agree.
Pair J.-I feel that the evidence for two pairs, one on either side of the
stream running into t h e head of the lake, is not satisfactory.
The two suggested territories are very close together and do
not show any clew separation, and the supposed two pairs
have not yet been seen or heard under conditions that make
their sepsrate existence seem reasonably certain.
Pair I<.-A new record. On the northern side of the cirque a t the very
head of Talrahe Valley. This pair was further to the west and
higher up than pair P which was also on the northern side of
the valley a t this time.
Pair L.--A new record. Occupies the cirque a t the north-western end
of the Point Burn. One chick was also present. This territory
is perhaps two miles from that of pair G which had been seen
earlier in the day.
P a i r M.-Suggested by very fresh signs found in a hanging valley high
above the northern side of Takahe Valley. This territory is
directly above but some distance from (perhaps hatlf a mile)
the nearest known part of pair D's territory. It is possible,
therefore, that pairs D and M may be o,ne and the same.
Single Birds.-One
seen on the Point Burn Flat i n #or near pair G's
territory. Pair Q m7as seen and heard b y two observers almost
immediately afterwards about half a mile away, so there is no
possibility of confusion here. Long observation of this bird
afforded no evidence t h a t i t was paired. A further single bird
was seen in January in 'be rorrie referred to previously on the
qidge between the Point Burn a n 3 Mystery Burn and what was
possibly another single bird waz rep3rted to be heard calling
from the southern side of Takahe Valley near its head on the
occasion when pair Iil was under observation.
T'hus, i n Takahe Valley, we now know fairly definitely of seven pair2
(A, B, C, D, E. F, K) and two chicks, with the possibility of one other
pair (M) and one solitary adult. I n the Point Burn we know of two
pairs (G and L), two chicks and two single birds-a
total population
206
f o r t h e main a r e a a t t h e approximate time of our visit of between 23
a n d 27.
F r o m F. Woodrow's provious work in t h e explored p o r t i h s of valleys
t o t h e south and west of t h e Mystery B u r n a n d t h e Ettriclr Burn there is
evidence of one pair a n d one chick, with two single birds i n t h e Mystery
Burn a n d one single bird i n t h e E t t r i c k Burn. The known total f o r t h e
at-present explored range of this species lay, then, a t this time, somewhere between 30 a n d 35 individuals. It is worth noting a t this point
t h a t nowhere within t h e entire known range has t h e species been seen
(or signs of i t s presence found) below a n altitude of 2000 feet. I n this,
t h e four specimens t a k e n last century a r e notable exceptions.
DE,ER A N D T A K A H E
Apart from t h e danger t h a t may exist during t h e birds' breeding
season of deer treading on nest or chicks, there i s perhaps a greater
danger of increased or even uncontrolled deer herds so altering t h e
environment i n t h e sub-alpine meadows where t h e birds feed f o r most
of t h e y e a r and make ;hen- nests, t h a t food a n d cover will eventually
be greatly diminished. Already i n the northern basin t h a t forms p a r t
of t h e grcat amphitheatre st t h e head of t h e Point Burn there is evidence
t h a t t h e presence of deer i~accelerating t h e normal processes of erosion,
f o r on t h e tops of t h e ridges (here about' 4,500 feet high) t h a t separate
this valley from t h e southern branch of t h e E t t r i c k Burn, deer trails
a r e common; t h e bare e a r t h i s exposed, a n d steep and narrow scree slopes
mar t h e otherwise smooth curves of t h e snowgrass-covered walls of t h e
cirque t h a t encloses this end of t h e valley. Lower down on the boggy
glacial benche, there a r e places mhero the thick covering of t h e various
grasses a n d herbs has been totally destroyed over many square yards a n d
turned into muddy deer ~~-allows.Decr feed on species of Danthonia t h a t
t h e talcahe have beex shown t o depsnd upon i n large part f o r food and
nesting cover a n d on species a t least closely related t o those other alpine
g r a s ~ e swhose seeds f o r m what i s probably a most important p a r t of the
birds' G e t in late summer and a u t u n n . A t present, fortunately, the deer
populatlrin is not hlgh a n d is denser in those vallcrs t o the south and
west of t h e main colony, possibly because t h e other valleys a r e a t a
lower altitude. F o r instance, in the Point Burn (which is about 2503
f e e t above sea level and 500 f e e t below Takahe Valley) deer trails are
common i n the beech forest and fresh droppings a r e frequent throughout;
whereas i n T a l r a h ~Valley such sign is much less abundant.
Although predator control is generally considered t o be a n inefficient
method of protcction of a prey species i t is felt to be specially justified
i n t h i s case a s t h e most dangeious potential predator-the stoat-is quite
foreign t o Ihe original environment. so adaptation t o i t s presence has
' not been developed through natural d e c t i o n , and a tribute must be paid
t o F. Woodrow f o r his long a n d conscientious work, nhieh in addition
to ensuring Lhe safely of t 5 e birds, has added much t o our knowledge.
The following is a list of the animals destroyed within t h e range of the
t a k a h c since i t s rediscovery in 1948. (Numbers a r e approximate only) :Red deer' (Cervus elaphus) .................................................................
Stoats (Mustela erminea)
....................................
Australian opossums ( T r i c h o s m s vulpecula) ...........
,
38
19
54
OTHER BIR8DS.
A t o t a l of 19 native and four exotic species were seen or heard
during t h e time of our party's st,?y. A new record f o r this p a r t of the
Bfurchison Range w a s t h a t of a pair of rock wrens (Xenicus gilviventris)
seen among shrub; 0.1 a talus slopo a t the head of t h e Point Burn a t a n
altitude of about 3503 leet. The redpolls, cl:afEnches, goldfinches and
yellowhnmmcrs reported front Takahe Valley on most of t h e previous
visits, including t h a t of l a t e winter in August, 1949, were on this occasion
conspicuously absent.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Acknowledgment is made to Mr. F. Newcombe f o r field notes and
the contribution of certain facts unknown to the writer; to Mr. F.
Woodrow, f o r information and for his energy and enthusiasm which
contributed much to the success of the expeditidn; to Mr. C. E. McIvor,
, the
for continued assistance; and t o Messrs. V. Zotov and B. H ~ m b l i n of
Botany Division, D.S.I.R., for advice in the identification of food plants.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.
Berney, F. L. (1907)-Field
notes on birds of the Richmond District,
Norih Queensland. Emu 6, pp. 106-115.
Cramp, S. (1947).-Notes
on Territory i n the Goot. Brit. Birds 40, pp.
194-198.
Falla, R. A. (1949).-Notornis Rediscovered; Emu 48, pp. 316-322.
Falla, R. A. (1951).-The Nesting Season of Notomis; Notornis 4, pp.
37-100.
Fleming, C. A. (195l).-Notornis
in February, 1950; Notorniss 4, pp.
101-106.
. .
Gurr, L. (1951)-Food
of the Chick of ~ o t o r n i shochstetteri; Notornis
4, p. 114.
Guthrie-Smith, H. (1927)-Birds of the Water, Wood and Waste. (2nd
edition London).
Mathems, G. M. (19ll).-The Birds of Australia, Vol. 1, p. 243.
Mayr, Er. (1949).-Notes
on the Birds of Northern Melanesia. Amer.
Mus. Novit. No. 1417.
Miers, K. H. (1950).-N~otorcis Valley (Report of Gymposium). N.Z.
(Geograph. Soc. Rec. No. 9: p. 6.
Turbott, E. G. (1951).-Winter Olbservations on Notornis i n 1949. Notornis 4: 107-113.
Williams, G. R. (1950).-An
Almost Extinct Bird. Discovery 11, pp.
216-219.
I
HUDlSONIAN CODWIT AT RUAKAEA.-On
12/12/51, Messrs.
R. N. (Buttle, S. C. Rutherfurd, V. M. Rutherfurd, T. J. Short and I were
fortunate i n finding a Hudsonian godwit (Limosa 1. haemaEitica) a t Ruakaka, and i n being ablle to watch i t a t leisure. k $solitary godwit which
was intently feeding within a chain of t h e footbridge which crosses
the Ruakaka 8tream to the A A . camp, was npticed t o have a black tail
and when i t raised a wing, a white rump. Fearless to the point of
absurdity as I walked it up, i t ran about ten yards ahead and, to make
i t fly in .order that its diagnostic pattern (v. N.Z.B.N. 3, 199) might be
seen by my companions who were w8,tching from the bridge, I was forced
to hustle it. . Even then i t alighted almost immediately. On the two
occasions when I put i t up,'it uttered a sharp but not far-carrying doublenote "kit-keet," quite disti-nct from the noisier and more tuneful "kewkew" of the common N.Z. godwit (L. lamonica baueri). I was glad to
hear this call a s I have not beeqpble to record any note from the four
Hudsonian godwit5 which I have seen !before, all of which have been
i n flocks of ,other waders. Before we left, a fairy tern (S. nereis) flew
up the estuary and hovered not f a r from the Hudsonian godwit, so t h a t
these two rare N.Z. birds could be seen a t once. We revisited the
estuary on 20/12/51 and the tide being a t the same low level, found
presumably the same two rare birds again feeding within a few yards of
one another. It i s t o be hoped that the Hudsonian godwit did not
suffer for its fearless or foolish indifference t o man, a s the estuary
becomes a bedlam of campers over Christmas. This is not the first record
of the Hudsonicln godwit for the east coast of Northland. Messrs. C. A.
Fleming and S. D. Potter and I saw one a t Mangawai, 16 miles to the
south, on 24/11/40. (Emu 43, 136).-E. B. Sibson, Auckland.
208
.
SOME FOOD OF THE NORTH ISLAND KIWI.
( A P T E R T X AUSTRALIS.)
By L. Gurr, Nelson.
111 spite of t h e extensive literature on t h e kiwis, Buller (1868)
appears t o be t h e only writer t o record in a n y detail t h e food of these
birds. The stomach contents of two birds, both females, taken during
a collecting t r i p i n t h e Pirongia Ranges i n October, 1862, were examined
a n d found t o contain t h e fol!owing:Three wetas (Dienacrida), t e n huhu grubs (Prionoplus) mostly of
large size, a n d 3 small brown beetle (Coptomna), several e a r t h w o r m and
a large earthworm egg-cocoon. Somc berries of t h e maire (Olea SPP.) a n d
) . second bird contained a number of
of tailro (Fimanus c ~ u i n g h a ~ i i The
insect remains (not identified), some minute land snails a n d a large
number of t h e hard kernels of taiko berries, these Buller suggested t h e
kiwi swallowed in lieu of quartz pchbles f o r triturating the food. I n t h e
stomech of m o t h e r which he opened afterwards, he Pound a number of
angular pieces of p e b b k ; others contained t h e hard kernels of pohaka
(Elaeocarpus hookeriams), miro (Podocaxpus ferruginm), maire, a n d
hinau (Elamcarpus dentatus).
I n view of t h e dearth of specific statements in t h e literature and t h e
erroneous, b u t popular idea t h a t kiwis live almost entirely on earthworms, it secms worth while t o record i n detail t h e stomach contents of
a kiwi submitted t o me f o r examination.
.
The bird, a fentale, which w a s knocked down a n d killed b y a c a r
on t h e Waihi B e x h Eoad, 4 miles from Waihi, had been sent to the
Auckland Zoological P a r k and i t is through the courtesy of the D i ~ e c t o r ,
Mr. R. W. Coach, t h a t I received the stomach contents.
They a r e s s follows:Twenty-three stones ranging i n size f r o m 2.0 X 1.7 mm. t o 12.2 X
11.0 mm. Most of them snowed signs of considerable erosion, several
igneous ones being diffe~entiallyeroded, leaving a very efficient grinding
surf ace.
A N I M A L REMAINS.
CrustaceaIsopodaOniscidae (woodlicc), 2, 1 entire l fragmentary.
MyriapodaChilopoda (centipedes), 5; 3 Commcepkalis rubriceps; ~ a r d a myctes validus 2; all entire.
Diplopoda (millipedes), 4; Isp., 1 entire, 3 fragmentary.
InsectaOrthoptera (weta), 1, fragment of prothorax.
Lepidoptera (moths), 2, 1 larvs, fragment of skin; 1pupa, entire.
IIemiptcra (cicada), 1, larva, forelegs only.
Coleoptera (beetles)Carabidae (ground beetles) 5, 3 spp., 3 entire, 2 fragmentary.
Curculionidae (weevils) 5, 2 spp, E l y t r a only.
Scarabaeidae (chafors) 1, 1 sp E l y t r a only.
ArachnidaOpilioncs (harvestmen) 2, 2spp. pro. and opisthosoma's only.
Araneida (spiders) 2 Araneomorphne (web spinners) fragments. l Mygalomorphae (trap-door-spiders) fragment.
VEGETABLE REMAINS.
F o r t h e identification of these I a m indebted t o Miss R u t h Mason,
of t h e Botany Division of t h e Dept. of Scientific a n d Industrial Research.
Eparidaceae ( t h e Australian heath family).
Lmcopogon fasciculatus (tall mingi-mingi) : 3 leaves.
Cyathodes acerosa (pungent mind-mingi) : 2 leaves.
209
Myrtaceae (myrtle family)Iaephpelp2'~ms p (manuka) : 2 leaves.
LoganiaceaeCieniosboma ligwtrifolium (haagehawe): 2 valves of capsule.
As weli as the above, iwo lumps of material that appear t o be the
endosperm of a seed.
In addition to the above, I have lbcen cuble to cxamine the insect
parts only from sorr~ekiwi droppings. These had been preserved and
kept a t the E8ntomolo,g Research Station, Cawthron Institute, Nelson.
They were collecled i n ~September,1949, iby Mr. E. Rye, i n the Tangahua
Ranges, North Auckland. They were as follow:YyriapodaChilopoda (centipedes): Head and several segments of the body.
InsectColeoptera (beetles)Carabidae (ground beetles): Fragment of an adult.
Elateridae (click beetles): 1 sp. 2 larvae, entire.
Scercubaeidae (chafers): lsp. 9 larvae, 1 entire, the rest,
head capsules only; 1 sp. 1 adult, fragmentary.
Hymenoptera (ants, 'bees, wasps, etc.)Formiciodae (ants) : .l
adult, entire.
ArachnidaAraneida (spiders): l palp only.
I t appears, therefore, from the foregoing, that the kiwi's range of
animal food is wide both jn variety and size and the nature of the
vegetable remains suggest t h a t the kiwi could serve as a dispersal agent
for seeds.
REIW8ENCE.
History of the Birds of New Zealand."
Buller, W. L. (1888).-"A
second edition, vol. 2, pp 318-319, London.
BREEDING OF T H E GEXY DlUCX AT' MOA POINT.--On October
25, 1951, while i n search of some ma,terial for a museum exhibit, I came
upon a grey duck (Anas superciliosa Gmelin) with seven ducklings. The
latter were i n down, snd, but a Pew days old. The birds were ashore, a
few yards from the water's edge, and on my approach the parent bird
made for the ,sea and the young followed. The ducklings kept close to
the parent and she led thein away between the rocks. At one time a
black-backed gull (LW dominicanus Lkhstenstein) came overhead, and,
for a moment, i t looked a s if the gull intended t o swoop down upon
them. The duck "gathered" her young under a n oveflLauging ledge of
rock while she remained on the outside. After a while the gull flew off.
The ducks finally disappeared among the rocks.
On referring the
matter to Mr. R. K. Dell and Mr. J. Moreland, they informed me that
they came upou a nest wiLh eggs not f a r from the point where I made
this observation, the previous season, a t about the same time of the
year. The nest was hiddcn under some taupata (Coproma mpens Rich.).
Incidcntally, it might be of interest to add t h a t I fcund two ducklings,
in down, washed up on the beach a t Pulrerua Bay i n September of 1948.
From these records it would appear thct the grey duck does occasionally
breed along the coast within reach of the sea.-C.
McCann, Dominion
Museum.
MEETING O F DUNEDIN MElMBEES.-Oh October 1, 1951, a wellattended meeting of Dunedin members and friends was held in the
Biology Lecture Room a t t h e Otago Museum. Professor B. J. Marples
occupied the chair, and the local regional organiser spoke briefly on the
need for members to be active recorders, and suggested ways and
methods of activity. Recordings of bird-songs, some of native birds
recordod in Dunedin, and some of introduced birds, were heard, and
films of bird-life shown.
210
RANDOM NOTES ON THE KIWI.
By J. D. Clark, Opotiki.
On Thursday, June 23, 1949, a n injured kiwi caught on the night of
June 21, in a n opossum trap on Mr. E. P r a t t ' s property, about ten miles
up the Waioeka Gorge, from Opotiki, mas brought to me. I t s right leg
was badly broken just above the foot. On the following day, Dr.
Armstrong dressed the mound and reduced the compound fracture of
the foot, which was placed in splints. Considerable difficulty was
experienced in getting the bird t o swallow worms, a f e a t which was
achieved only by placing them a t the back of the tongue with a pair of
tweezers. On June 25 a tin of worms covered with earth, and a tin of
water were placed in the box with the kiwi. B y 10 a.m, the next day
the kiwi had eaten all the worms i n the tin and pushed off the lid of its
box and escaped, to be found a n hour later i n a dark corner under old
timber azld boxes. The kiwi slept with i t s bill under its rudimentary
left wing.
On July 11, the dreasiag was taken off the foot, which had gone
gangreIious. I amputated the foot and dressed the stump, and in
subsequont days further dead tissue and pieces of bone wefe removed
either by Dr. Armstrong o r myself. By the time the bird left for the
Auckland Zoo, the foot had healed. The kiwi showed fight when a dog
came near by raising the feathers on its (back, similar to a c a t raising
its hair. The bird then raised its head and made a vigorous forward
kick with,its good foot a t the dog, a t the same time hissing. The
kiwi, under the name of "David," left for the Auckland Zoo on August
20, 1949.
Inquiries were made as to the preseuoe of the kiwi in the district.
Thirty-five were reported and of these 28 were checked on for details
of t r a ~ p i n gor finding, these being distributed as follows: Waimana, 4;
WaioeTa Gorge area, 9; Woodlands, 13; coast, 1; Kutarere, 1. Waioeka
and Woodlands are adjoining areas, separated from the Waimana area
by the Waiotahi Valley, from where I can get no reports of the kiwi.
The locality where David" n-as csught in the Waioeka Gorge was
about 2000 feet high. I n three seasons (1947, 1948, 1949) six had been
caught near the same place. Bonie hod only the centre toe injured, others
their legs broken. The birds were liberated. All were caught in high
beech country on rough, stormy nights.
A farmer further up the Waioeka Go:ge showed me a range opposite
his cowshed where some kiwis have been for about the last four years.
They call more frequently ,on dull or wet evenings. The ridge is a good
place for wild pigs. On account of the kiwis being there the farmer
endesvours to kecp all pig hunters off the area so a s not to distur(b the
birds.
I n the high country a t Wjoodlands, a farmer who is a keen observer of
nature, states there are plenty of kiwis i n the bush there. A trapper
who operated there in 1942 and 1843 caught four each year. Some were
killed and others injured were liberated again. O'ther kiwis have been
caught in the farmer l traps. One, s very large bird, fiercely attacked
him when he tried t o liberate i t and with its bill and claws injured his
hand SG severely t h a t he still carries the scars. After the bird was
liberated it followed him for some distance, showing fight before it took
cover. H e says kiwis make scratchings among fallen leaves much
deeper than those of the domestic fowl.
I n the middle of August, 1949, a nest containing two eggs was found
a t Waimana by a farnler's daughter. The nest was i n a hole about a
foot deep, a t the bottom of a bank on the edge of the bush. The kiwi
was almost invis~blewhen sitling on the nest which was under a punga
trunk lying amvng ferns. The n w t was well concealed and there was
' another hole about two yards away as if the bird had changed the site
of the nest, or perhaps had used the second nest t h e previous year.
211
'TEREK SANDPIPER AT MIRANDA.
By H. R. RldKenzie, Clevedon.
The appearance ofqa Terelr sandpiper (Xenus cinereus) a t Miranda
on 22/11/51 is the first recorded occurrence for New Zealand. I was
scanning some small waders when I saw a sandpiper flying with some
wrybill (Anashynchus frontalis). The party settled on the mud near the
tide line and I immediately focussed with my binouulara to ascertain the
species oif the odd bird. At once I saw the bright orange legs and then
the long dark upturned bill. R. B. Sibson has long maintained that we
should see i n New Zealand any migrant birds which visit Australia.
Acting upon this theory I have studied the descriptions of such birds so
had no trouble i n recognising this one, which has such distinctive
features.
D. A. Urquhart;
Further observations were made a s follow:-1/1/52,
2/1/52, R. B. Sibson and H. T. Revell; 4/1/52, C. A. Flemjng, W. P. Mead,
D. Mead and H.R.McK.; 6/1/52, Miss N. Macdonald and H.R.McK. I t
was not found on January 13, 19 and 20, but was located on March 1,
three milrjs south-east along the coast, resting in a cultivated paddock
with a fleck of c. 900 wrybill. I t rose, calling, a t some distance, and
flew right away.
The orange legs and feet and long, dark upturned bill have already
been mentioned. The base of the bill was yellowish; 11ead all grey; no
definite eye-stripe; large rounded grey patch covering side of neck,
shoulder and upper side of breast; the narrow space across the breast
between the patches very light grey; white under; pronounced w h i ~ t
hind edge of wing in flight. This description, compared with Witherby
("The Handbook of British Birds"), indicates that this bird was not
fully mature.
I t s actjons on the ground were quick, very much like sanderling,
a s i t fed on the mud among scattered wrybill and banded dotterel. I t
appeared to f e d by quick dabs and was once seen to take a small crab
which i t apparently swallowed after shaking off the legs. The bill
was held horizontally when tho bird was standing or running. R.B.S.
was reminded of the common sandpiper when i t tilted or bobbed the
after part of its body and also when i t quivered i t s wings.
I n flight it was quick and graceful, resembling Geoffroyls sand
plover (Chmadrius Lesohlemiulti), When chased persistently in the air
by a red-billed gull it evaded t h e attacks with ease.
A variety of c d l s m s heard, all during flight, and this was found to
be the best indication of the presence of the bird. R.B S. described a
musical trill "meeta-weeta-weet," which corresponds well with
the descriptin of Miss N. 'hilacdonald and H.R.McK., "meet weet" and
"weet wt wt."
C.A.F., W.P.M., D.M., and H.R.McK. heard mostly a
three-note call after the style of wliimbrel or w a ~ d e r i n gtattler, but the
third note w2s not so full, clear, sharp and musical. Sometimes a
whistled ripple of about six notes run together was used.
The species is said by Witherby t o be quiet, but D. A. Urquhart, on
1/1/52, using a telephoto lens, could only secure rather distant photographs, while on 6/1/52 Miss N. Macdonald, using a similar lens,, was
unable to get within range, the bird being quite wild and shy.
According to Witherby the Terek sandpiper breeds from Finland
across to Siberia and winters from N.E. Africa across to India and down
to the Malay Archipelago and Australia. I t is extremely rare in Australia so it is fortunate to have a n occurrence in New Zealand.
KE8T RECOQDS AND BEACH PATROLIS.-Members are asked to
complete these cards and forward them as soon & S possible to the
organisers ol: these schemes. Nest records should be sent t o Mr. J. ~ i n g ,
Box 448, Masterton, and beach patrol cards to Mr. J. M. Cunningham.
212
BROWN BOOBY IN THE HAURAKI GULF.
B y P. A. S. Stein, Auckland.
When we were completing the ringing of t h e gannet this season on
Horuhoru, north of Waihehe, on Maroh 8, 1952, me were astonished to
find in a small group of twelve full-grown chicks, a large brown bird
with a blue b e a k I n general outline i t was very like a gannet. The
body was nearly a s big a s a gannet's, but the bird carried itself with t h e
legs sloping further back, so t h a t the gannets in the group appeared
t o bo about a n inch taller than i t was.
The bird had obviously settled down temporarily with the others and
allowed us to approach within thirty feet. We sketched and noted details
for about ten minutes. T'he most stsrtling aspect was the shining bluish
korn-colour of t h e besk, st the base of which a narrow white band
stretched across from eye to eye. This might be bare skin, but i t
protruded slightly above the eyes a s if i t were of feathers. Above this
a rich brown cap stretched to the top of the neck. Under t h e beak was
a lighter area whlch stretched back and upwards towards t h e cap. Right
round the neck and extending well down on to the breast was a broad
band of bright chestnut, in which the fezthers fluffed out so f a r that the
bird seemed to have a ruff. The wings and back were a shining
chocolate. The abdomen w a s a lighter brown anteriorly, and still lighter
between the lags. IIere the brown was that delicate shade seen under
a mushroom a f t e r the first pink tint has gcne. The legs were sturdier
than those of a gannet, and had bright orange-yellow feet.
The bird was identified s s a brovin booby (Sula leucogaster), and
later our drawings and notes were compared with museum specimens by
Mr. E. G. Turbott a t t h e Auc:lrlaad Museum. I t flew off a s a n adult
gannet approached. Wheeling in behind the gannet, the booby followed,
turning and swooping close behind the other bird. For twenty minutes
they came'and went, c a c i ~time passing so close above our heads t h a t
we could ,see t h a t t h e stranger had a feather missing from his right wing.
The uirds mere within four feet of each other, so t h a t me could easily
compare their wing-span. The gannet, with a wingspread of seventy
inches was about four inches wider than t h e booby. Three interesting
differences between t h e two species were noted. The under surface of
the wings was a n ivoiy colour edged with chorolatc? The coloured border
was very regular in width, about a n inch in front and three inches
behind. This gave the remaining area the appearance of a pair of white
wings spread out below s larger pair of bnown ones. The feet were not
carried concealed in the feathers a s in the case of t h e gannet, but mere
in sight, and so f a r apart t h a t they extended to the sides of t h e broade,st
part of the tai!. Behind the feet, the tail narrowed, forming a wedge
with a comparatively sharp point. The whole was much longer than the
gannet 'S tail.
When we returned t o Auckland and Mr. Turbott compared our notes
with his specimens, it was evident t h a t the bird we saw was in the
wholly (brown immature plumage. This is apparently the fourth brown
booby recorded in New Zealznd. We note that, for the past four weeks,
we have had a l n o s t continual northerly winds in this area.
GIANT PETREL l%ECOVErvY.-A.giant
petrel ringed a s a fledgling,
still in down, at North Point, Signy Island, South Orkneys, by the Falkland Lsland Dependency's scientific bureau on February 11, 1951, was
found dead on the beach a t Chaser Go~ge,Dargaville, on Smeptember 14,
1951, by Mr. Percy Wright, of Urquhart's Bay. I t s rinq was marked
SBL No. 63,526. By the shortest route, this is about 6,500 miles from
where the bird was ringed. According to t h e Scientific Bureau most of
the giant petrel chicks leave their nests where this bird was ringed in
R. Purser, Whangarei.
early May.-D.
L
A NORTE ISLAND COLONY OF SPOTTED SHAGS.-In N.Z. Bird
Notes, Vol. 2, p. 40, mentlon is made of a colony of spotted shags (Sticto
carbo punctatus) a t the "south head of Kaawa Creek," some miles
south of Port Waikato. The site of the colony is actually a t Girdwood's
Point, a n impreuslvely rugged headlcnd lying between the Kaawa and
Ohulrs streams and exposed to the full force of the westerly gales.
Througli tho liindncss of Mr. K. M. Sorby, who has known the colony
for many years, I was enabled on 19/10/51 to visit thls rather inaccessible stretch of coast. The main shaggery is on what is locally and aptly
called Cylinder Rock-the "inaccessible basalt stack" of N.Z.B.N., II.,
40, which rises to a height of about 150 feet and i s separated from the
mainland cliffs by a narrow cleft. On t h e southern and south-eastern
faces of this stack I counted respectively about 85 and 40 nests; and
across the cleft on the mainland cliffs were &bout 40 more. On the top
of Cyiinder Rock there is some wind-torn scrub in mhich a few black
shags (P. caxbo) were sitting, though I was unable to see any nests.
Seaward of Cylinder Rock is the Little Cylinder. There were no nests of
spotted shags on this, but about 20 birds were resting on it. On the
mainland cliffs a hundred yards or so to the south of the big colony,
about 10 more pairs of spotted shags had their nests. O'ffshore there are
two steep basalt pinnacles; but on neither of these did there appear to
be any spotted shags breeding. About 40 shags mere resting on the
inner pinnacle. A considerable gale was blowing and even a spotted
shag might have found i t difficult to rest with comfort on the outer
pinnacle. ' I n this colony there must be a t least 175 pairs of breeding
birds, most of which had nests with eggs; but some were still building
and one was seen flying with difficulty in the teeth of the wind carrying
a large piere of seaweed. No nests were seen containing young. Most
of the sixty birds mhich were resting on the Little Cylinder and inner
pinnacle were young of the previous season. The only other known
colony of spotted shags on the n e s t coast of the North Island is fifty
miles to the north, a t Te EIenga. Spotted shags also visit Oaia, the
"gannet rock," which is v:sible from Te Henga and well out from t h e
southern end of Muriwai Beach, but it is not known if they breed there.
-R. B. Sibson, Auckland.
BIRD SOKG RECORDS WANTEiD.-Mr. No~bleRollin, of the Bird
Research Statlon. Glanton,. Northumberland, asks for the co-operation of
New Zealand b i d watchers in assisting to time the passage of t h e first
dawn singing 01 birds as i L sweeps around the world with the dawn
light. What is required is the exact time of the first call or song of one
or more species in the morning and the exact time of the last call or
song of one or more species in the evening. Particulars of locality,
height above sea level, and weather conditions should be given. Records
aro to be taken on April 13 and September 21, 1952.-W.
J. Noble,
editor "The Evening Star," Duncdin.
GLOSSY I B I S I N WESTLAND.-Mr. Peter Lucas, of Hari Hari,
South Westland, has forwarded a description, accompanied by a sketch,
of a strange bird which appeared in September, 1951, on the property
of Mrs. St. George. The identificntion of the bird as a glossy ibis
(Plegaldis falcinellus) was confirmed by Mr. E. G. Turbott, of the Auckland Museum, after reading the description and seeing the sketch. The
bird frequented swampy drains and fed by wriggling its bill into the
soft earth, sometimes up to its eyes, and extracting worms, grubs, etc.E. L. Kehoe, Greymouth.
NEW MEMBERS.
Acres, Mrs. C. Laughton St., Taupo.
Barker, H. F.,Box 25, Kaiapoi.
Clouston. W.F.. 5 8 Louisa St.. Invcareill
Coom Mrs. J. ' ~ Ore
e Ore Mastertoll.
Demdster A.G. 7 Wardla; St. Dunedin
Evans, R: A., 25 Sullivan AV., bhch.
Ferdinand, Dr. L., Copenhagen, Dmrk.
H a r t A. J. l1 Benares S t Khandallah
~ i m m e l ,M;S. R. I., 1 5 4 burn Rd.,
Lower H u t t .
McDowall. R, 32 Worcester St. P.Nth.
Parlane. S. G., Dist. School, Mamaku.
Priest D., District School. Bulls.
Smith: C., 44 Worksop Rd., Masterton.
Sorrell, C. C., 2 Priestley Tee., Napier
Todd Miss L.R. Solway Call. Maston.
~ardurto!, H. if., Oruru ~ c h b o l ,
K a ~ t a ~ R.D.
a.
Williams, Miss D.N., Dept. of Maori
Affairs, Qisborne.
INDEX TO VOLUME 4.
(The
Editor
is indebted to Miss Noelle A f a c d o n a l d for the
of this index.)
compilation
* Denotes illustration.
Warbler and
Abraham, H. C. -Grey
Olevedon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
E p e i r ~ dSpider, 6 9 ; Song Thrush Eat.
Classified Notes
121, 175
ing Green Bug 69.
Cockatoo,.white . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Acanthisitta chloiis. See Rifleman
Columba livla. See Pigeon, Rock.
Acrodotheres tristis. See Myna.
Colymbus cristatus. See Grebe. Crested
Albatross-Light-mantled
Sooty, 140 ; Correspondence . . . . . . . . 14, 33, 59
Corvus frugilegus. See Rook.
Royal 15" 140, 1 7 8 ; Wandering, 40,
Crake, Marsh . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
48". 140. '178.
,, Spotless
44, 182
Alauda arvensis. See Skylark.
Alectoris chukor. See Chukor.
Creeper, Brown . . 7 55 148 150, 193
Anarhynchus frontalis. See Wrybill.
Crocethia alba. See '~an)derli&.
AnasCrockett, David E.-Notes
from Christgibberifrons. See Teal. Grey.
church Estuary, 137.
poicilorhyncha. See Duck. Grey.
Crow, Blue-wattled . . 57, 70*, 140, 194
rhynchots. See Sl~oveller.
Cuckoo Bronze . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Annual Meeting, 1950, President's Ad,, Long-tailed, 29, 52, 147, 150, 190
dress,, 6, 9 ; 1951, 61, 94.
Oriental . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2
A n t h o r n ~ smelanura. See Bell-bird.
,, Shining, 14, 29, 33, 52, 147, 164,
Anthus novaeseelandiae. See Pipit.
150, 190.
Apteryx australis. See Kiwi, Brown.
Cuculus optatus. See Cuckoo, Oriental.
haasti. See Kiwi. Large Spotted
Cunningham, J. M.-11, 6 0 ; Position of
~ r a ' i acinerea. See Heron, Grey.
Myna In 1950, 6 6 ; Ringing Birds in
Ardmore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
h e w Zealand, 7 7 : Review, 8 4 ; XingArmaria interpres. See Turnstone.
ing Operation, 1 4 0 ; Review, 200.
Athene noctua. See, Owl, Little.
Curlew, Bristle-thighed . . . . . . . 1 8
Aythya novaeseelandlae. See Teal, Black
Long-billed . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Banks Peninsula . . . . . . . . . . 143
Cianoramphus auriceps. See Parakeet,.
y ellow-£routed.
Barker, H.-Herons
in Canterbury, 197.
Barrier, Little . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
,, novaeseelandiae. See Parakeet, redBasley, P. H.-Godwits
Avoiding Harfronted.
Cygnus atratus. See Swan, Black.
rier, 6 8 ; Gannet with Eel, 69.
Bayne, Miss AI.-Visit
to M ~ l f o r dSound
,, olor. See Swan, White.
and Lake Manapouri, 68.
Dabchick . . . . . . . . . . . . 39, 176
Beaton, Margaret-Bird
Notes from Can- Daytion capensis. See ,Pigeon Cape.
terbury, i 6 3 .
Davenvort. J. C.-Distr~butmn of Weka.
Bellbird-7.
30. 33. 56. 149. 150. 194.
26.-Frigate Bird a t Tauranga, 35.
Leaving
Bird Song ' . . . . . 1 .
. . ' . T 1 ' . 2 1 4 avids son, W. H.-Redpolls
199.
Nest
Bittern . . . . . . . . 32, 42, 180
~ a w s o ; , E. W.-Bird
Notes from Lictle
Blackbird-3i,
33, 140, 149, 150, 196.
Booby, Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Barrler, 27: Renew, 8 2 : B ~ r dhoteh
Botaurus poiciloptilus. See Bittern
from stewart Island, 14'6.
Bowdleria punctata. See Fern-bird.
Dear, E.-ltooks
m Feildlng District, 69
de Lisle, E. W.-Breeding
Persistence
Branta canadensis. See Goose, Canadian.
in. Banded Dotterel, 25.
Brathwaite D. H.-Notes
on Variable
~ y s t e r c a t c h e r s .22.
Demlgretta sacra. See Heron, Reef.
Diomedea e~omouhora.
See Albatross,
Broiga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
U
,
.
.
.
.
.
,
Bunting, Cirl . . . . . . . . . . 58, 195
LLVJU"
Calidrls acuminata. See Sandpiper, Sibexulans. See Albat'ross, Wandering.
Donations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
erian pectoral.
Dotterel, Banded-7*,
25, 32, 45, 62,
Canutus. See Knot.
125 147 183
melanotus.
See Sandviver.
American
- - .
,, New ~'ealan8-24, 46, 126, 14Ci,
pectoral.
141, 147, 184.
Calleas wilsoni-See
Kokako or G o w ,
Dove, lace-necked . . . . . . . . . . 188
blue-wattled.
Duck-Blue
........
43, 180
in Monowai
Campbell, B. W.-Birds
Grey, 14, 42, 140, 143: 146, 180,
D.strict, 68.
210.
Canterbury
. . . . . . 163, 197
Paradise . . . . . . 42, 140, 180
Carduel16 cabaret; See Red poll.
,, cardnelis. See Goldfinch.
Dumbleton, L. J.-Bird
Ticks, 21.
Dunediu . . . . . .
..
37
Casnlerodius albus. See Heron, whice.
Dunedin Naturalists' Field d1;b'
149
Catharacta skna lonnbergii. See Skua,
Ecological Society Formed . . . . 169
Southern, or Sea Hawk.
Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
Chaffinch 31 33 57 140 150 .l95 207
Chalcites) baialis: s e e ~ A c k o d ,bronze.
Emberiza cirlus. See Bunting, Cirl.
,, lucidus. See Cuckoo shining.
,, c~trinella. See Yellow-hammer.
Chapman, H. J.-Grey
Dkck Carrying
Endowment Members . . . . . . . . 169
Young in Bill, 143.
Charadrlus bicinctus.
See Dot'terel, Erolia testacea. See Sandpiper, Curlew.
Endynamis taitensis. See Cuckoo Longbanded.
tailed.
,, leschenaulti. See Plover, Geof
froy's sand.
Eudyptes pachyrhyncus. See Penguin,
Checklist-10.
drooping crested.
Chlidonias albistriata. See Tern, blackEudyptula albosignata.
See Penguin,
fronted.
White-flippered.
Chloris chloris. See Greenfinch.
,, minor. See Pengnin Little 131ue.
Christchurch Est'uarv . . . . . . . . 1.17
-.
Falco novaeseelandiae. dee Hawk, 311sh.
Chnkar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Falla, R. A.-Nestmg
Season of NotorCircus approximans. See Harrier.
nis, 97.
Clark, J. D.-Random
Notes on Kiwi,
Fantail-7,
30, 32, 55, 140, 150, 192
211.
Bernbird . . . . . . . . 32, 54, 148, 191
........
..........
.
...
'
;.
-
:.
Film Evening and Address . . . . 36
Film Evening a t Dominion Museum 85
Finscbia novaeseelandlae. See Creeper,
Brown.
F i r t h of Thames . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
F l e m ~ n g , C. A.-Asiatic
Whimbrel a t
Petone, 2 ; Banded Dotterel Inquiry
(with R. H. D. Stidolph), 6 2 ; Notornls in February 1950 101.
Fregata,ariil. ~ e ~ rl i g a i eBird, Lesser.
minor. See Frigate Bird, Greater.
E'rkate Bird, Greater
35
Lesser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1
~ r f n g i l l acoelebs. See Chaffinch.
Gannet-12,
26" 28, 37, 41, 69, 140,
141, 172, 179.
Gallirallns anstralis. See Weka. S.I.
greyi. See Weka, N.I.
~ a h o d i anereis. Seo Petrel, grey-backed: Storm.
Godwit, Bar-tailed-a*,
17, 46, 68, 128,
136 140, 184.
~ u d s o d i a n. . . . . . . . . . . . 208
~ d f d f i n c h . . 33 57, 149, 150, 1 9 5 207
Partial ~ l b i A o. . . . . . . . . . ' 1 3
dbose, Canada . . . . . . . . . . 146, 1 8 1
Grebe, Crested . . . . . . . . . . . 39, 176
Little. See Dabchick.
&eenfinch . . . . 33 57 140 149 1 0 5
Gull, d lack-backed-5, 2b, 50,' 140,' 141,
147 l 5 0 187 210.
,, ~1ack:billkd-do, 121, 140, 141, 187
,, Red-b~lled-29, 32, 50, 100, 136,
137, 140, 141, 147, 150, 172,
........
'
1R 7
Gurr ~.-mbod of Chick of Notornis
hobhstetteri, 11.4. Age Groups a i d
Sex Ratio of Californian Quail 144.
Some Food of the North Is. Kiwi, 209.
Guy, G. -Notes
on Hesthcote-Avon
Estuary, 173.
Gymnorhina hypoleuca.
See Magpie,
white-backed.
,, tibicen. See Magpie, black-hacked.
Haematopus finschi. See Oyster-catcher.
8.1.. pied.
,, reischeki. See Oyster-catcher. N.I.
unicolor. See Oyster-catcher. Black.
~ a l y c o nsanctus. See Kinefisher.
Halobaena caernlea. SPP P e t , r ~ l .Blne.
Hamilton, W. M.-Mahuki
Gannetry. 26
Harrier-14,
28, 31, 32, 43, 140, 142,
146, 181.
Hauraki Gulf . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Hawk, Bush . . . . . . . . 31, 43, 1 8 1
Heathcote-Avon Estuary . . . . . . 1 7 3
Hedee:Sparrow-31,
33, 58, 140, 149,
150. 196.
Heron-Grey
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
R . ~ e f. . . . . . . . . . . . 42. 180
32, 41, 163, 173. 179
White
White-faced-32,
41, 173, 179,
..
..
Heteroscelus incanus brevipes.
. 7
07
A"
See T a t tler, Grey-tailed.
i. jncanus.
See Tattler, Wandering.
Himantopus himantopus. See Stilt, Pied
or White-headed.
Hirundasus caudacutus.
See Swift'.
S>ine-tailed.
Howes, Mrs. J.-Irruption
of Black
Swans. 33.
Hvdroprome casw'a. See Tern. Casnn.
Hypotaen'dia philippensis.
See Rail.
Banded.
Ibis. Glossy . . . . . . 42, 157, 173, 214
- Whimbrel. 2 ; Banded
Ill~?strations
Dotterel, 8 ; Royal Albatross. 1 5 ;
Gannet, 2 6 ; Kinefisher, 26; Blrckfronted Tern. 48: Wnnderinrr Albztross. 4 8 . White-headed Stilt. 4 8 ;
Kokako &I Neat. 7 6 : Sons Thrush.
7 6 ; Starling. 76: Adult' Tnkahe. W :
'Unper Tnnnel Rnrn Valley. 3 0 6 ;
A d d t Tnknhe, 1 0 6 ; Takahe on Neet,
1 0 6 ; Takahe, Nest and Eggs, 1 0 6 ;
,,
Moss Pulled up for Insects, Droppings 1 0 6 . Takahe Valley in Winter
1 0 6 ; ' ~ o t o x k i sTracks in Snow, 106;
Takahe Valley 1 0 6 . Point Burn Volley 1 0 6 ~ a k A h evblley 1 2 0 ; Wings
of ' ~ a l i f c h i a n Quail, 14'4; Robin on
Nest 184.
~ o h n s o h ,M. E.-Bird
Ticks, 2 1 ; Visit
to Three Kings, 172.
Kaka . . . . . . . . 29, 51, 147, 150, 18.8
52, 189
Kakapo
Kakatoe galenta. See Cockatoo, White.
Karaka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Kea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51, 189
Kehoe, E. L.-Glossy
Ibis in Westland,
214.
King, J.-Nest
Records dcheme, 157.
Kingfisher-26",
29, 32, 53, 148, 150,
1 6 3 191.
Kiwi,'Brown. 27, 38, 146,. 149. 175,
209, 211.
Spotted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Knieht. W. - Pieeon Eatine Willow
Lzaies, 84.
Knor . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 126, 1 8 4
Kokako . . . . . . . . 57 70" 140 1 9 4
La Roche, S: A.-Notes
bn ~ b g p i e i 14.
L a m s bulleri. See Gull, lack-bille'd.
,, dominicanus. See Gull, Black-bckd.
,, novaehollandiae. See Gull. Red-bild.
Leucocarbo carunculatus.
See Shag,
Marlborough.
,, chalconotus. See Shag, Stewart Is.
Library List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 5
Lice, Bird-Request
for Bird-Lice from
N.Z. Terns, 134.
Limosa haemastica. See, Godwit, Hud.
lapponica. See Godwit. B a r - t a ~ l e d .
~ i b ~ b ynovaehollandiae.
x
See Plover,
Spur.winged.
Lophortyx californica. See Quail, Californian.
McCann, C.-Breeding
of _Grey Duck,
..............
..
21 (1
M c ~ & z i e H. R.-Records
of Hudsonian
curlew,' 18,; Nesting of N.Z. Dotterel
2 4 B r e e d ~ n g of Kokako, 7 0 ; ( w i t i
J. ' M. Cimniligham) Occurrence of
Brolga, 1 9 8 ; Terek Sandpiper a t Miranda 212.
~ a c d o d a l d ,Noelle-Birds
in Fig Tree,
4 8 ; Sparrows Tearing Paper, 1 0 0 ;
Mynas Oust Sparrows, 1 3 7 ; Feeding
of Silver-eyq Chicks, 1 4 5 ; Night Smging of Sliinmg Cuckoo, 164.
Macronectes giganteus. See Petrel. Gnt.
Magpie. Black-backed . . . . . . 59, 197
,, White-backed 31, 59, 140, 197.
Food . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 1 4
Mlhuki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Manawatu District . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 3
Manukau Harbour . . . . . . . . . . 33
Mead, W. P.-North
Island Thrush. 3
Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . 201, 210
Megadyptes antipodes.
See Penguin,
yellow-eyed.
~ e g a l o r n i srubicundus. See Brolpa.
Membership List
36, 164, 200, 214
Miranda . . . . . ' . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Miro australis. See Robin.
Mohona albicilla. See Whitehead.
., ochrocephala. See Yellowhead.
40, 1 7 8
Mollymawk-Black-browed
,, Ruller's . . . . . . . . . . 149, 1 7 8
,, Ohat%am Islands . . . . . . . . . . 40
,, Grey-headed . . . . . . . . . . 40, l 7 9
,, tSpp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
White-capped . . . . . . . . 149, 1 7 8
L. B.-Plant
Material from
~ o o r e Miss
,
G ~ n n e t s 'Nests. 12.
Morepork-29,
32, 53, 148, 150, 1 9 0
Woris senator. See Gannet..
Myna . . . . . . . . . 58, 66, 137, 1 9 7
. 26, 157
Nest. Records Investigation
Nestor .meridionalis. See Kaka.
,. notabilis. See Ken.
Ninox novaeseelandiae. See Morepork.
..
...
:.
.
............
North Auckland
7
Not.omystm cmcta. See Stitch Bird.
Notophoyx novaehollandiae. See Heron.
-White-faced.
Notornls hochstetteri. See Notornis.
Notornis-Nesting
Season, 9 7 ; I n Feb.
ruary 1950 1 0 1 ' Winter Observations 'in 1 9 i 9 . l d 7 : Food of Chick.
1 1 4 selected Bibliography
115 :
sketch Map of Upper ~ u n n L l~ u r d
and Point Burn Valley, 1 1 7 ; Protection in Notornis. l i 8 : I n March.
(1951), 202.
Numenius madagascariensie. See Curlew
long-billed.
,, phaeopus husonicus. See Whimbrel.
,, p. vanegatus. See Whmbrl, As~atic.
tahitiensis. See Curlew. bristle-thieh.
obituary
i39
134
Ornithological Photographs
Owl, Australian Barn
32
Little . . . . . . . . . . . . 53: 1 9 1
Oysterc?L;her, Black, 32, 45, 147, 150,
..
..
....
..
..........'......
....
......
.LOG
. . . . . . . 45,133, 1 8 3
Pied
32
S.I. Pied
44 133: 182
Variable . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
pa'dhyptila belcheri.
See Prion, Slender-billed.
,, deso!ata. See P ~ i o n ,Dove.
,, salvini. See Prion. Salvln's.
,, turtur. See Prion, Fairy.
,, vittata. See Prion, Broad-billed.
Parakeet Red-fronted 29 147 150 189
~eilow-fronted,'29,' 52, '147, '189.
pa';engarenga Harbour . . . . 122, 169
Parkin, C. N. and Mrs.-Pied
Tit Nesting Records, 1 6 2 ; N.I. Robin, Nesting
Record, 174.
Passer domesticus. See Sparrow.
Pavo c r ~ s t a t u s . See Peafowl.
Peafowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Pelegodroma marina. See Petrel, whitefaced Storm.
~ e l e c a n o i d e snr.natrix. See Petrel, Divg.
Penguin-Drooping-Crested
38. 1'76
,, Little Blue, 27, 39, 136, 145, 149,
164, 178.
,, White-flippered
176
Yeslow-eyed . . . . . . . . 39, 176
Petone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
. . . . . . . . . . 27, 1 7 8
Petrel-Black
N.I., Pied
............
......
"
..
..
........
breasted.
,, toitoi. See Tit. Pied.
Pha.acrocorax carbo. See Shag. Black.
melanolencus.
See Shae.
... White
throated.
,, sulcirostris. See Shag, Little Black.
,, varius. See Shag, Pied.
Phasianus colchicua. See Pheasant.
Pheasant . . . . . . . . . . 43, 141, 1 8 1
Phoabetria pa'pebrata.
See Albatross,
Light-mantled Sooty.
Picnic, Members Hold . . . . . . . . 69
Pigeon, Cape . . . . . . . . 39, 149, 176
,, Nntive Wood, 7, 29, 32, 33, 51,
84, 147, 150, 188.
,, Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1 1 8 8
Pipit . . . . . . . . . . 32, 53, 148, 1 9 1
Pisobia ruficollis. See Stint, Red-nkd.
Platalea regia. See Spoonbill, Royal.
Platycerus eximjus. See Roselln.
PlegaAis falcinellus. See Ibis, Glossy.
..
Plover-Geoffroy's
Sand, 46, 184, 212
Lesser Liolden
125, 1 8 3
Spur-winged .
46, 1 8 4
Pluvialis domin~ca. s e e ' j?lover, Lewei
Golden.
Pluviorhgnchus obscurus. See Dotterel
n.b.
Poliocep&dus rufopectus. See Dabchick.
Porphyrio poliocephalus. See Pukeko.
Porzana pusilla. See Crake, Marsh.
,, tabuensis. See Crake. Spotless.
Potter S. D.-Harrier
Attacking Grey
~ u c k .14.
39, 177
~rion-'Broad-billed
..l71
Dove
Fairy . . . . . . 40, 136, 141, 177
Salvm's
39, 177
SPP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Procellaria parkinsoni.
See Petrel,
Rlnrk
- .....- .
Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae. See Tui
Prunella modulnris. See Hedgesparrow.
Paeudogerygone igata.
See IYnrbler.
Grev.
~ t e r o d r o m acookf. See Petrel. Cook's.
,, inexpectata. Sce Petrel. Mottled.
,, lessoni. See Petrel, White-headed.
macroptera. See Petrel Grey-faced.
P ' h n u s assimilis. See ~ ' w A t e r ,Allied.
,, bulleri. See Shearwater Buller's.
,, carneipes. See S'water, Flesh-footed.
,, gavia. See Shearwater, Fluttering.
,, griseus. See Shearwater. Sooty.
,, tenuirostris. See S'v-ater short-tnil.
Pukeko . . . . . . . . 32, 44, 141, 182
Quail-Brown
. . . . . . . . 29, 44, 182
Californian
44, 141. 182
Rail, Banded . . . . . . . . . . . . 44. 182
Bird Notes,
Re:_dman, V. M.-Westport
.
....
..
......
..............
..........
......
JL.
Redpoll, 57, 63, 150, 164, 195, 199, 207
Retn.ruke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Reviews.--Trannin~
Methods. 1 5 : Rovnl
...
Albatross. l 5 ; -some South Pscific
Sea-bird Logs 3 4 ; O ~ e n i n pof Milkbonles by Birds, 34: Introdnred
Mammals of N Z.. 59: R i d s (Balln).
60: Oiseaux Tome XV.. 8 2 : N.Z. Flvcatchers (Fleming), '83; How to
, Choose and Use Field Glasses (Nicholson)
8 4 Some Thoughts on
Growth of ~ t a r l l n ~8 4, ; Moas of N.Z.
and Australia, 1 1 9 ; Taxonomic Notes
on Australian Butcher Birds. 1 9 9 :
164.
Robin-N.
Island. 6, 30, 54, 174, 192.
Stewart Island . . . . . . . . . . 148
Ibis in New
Robinson, J. F.-Glossy
Zealand, 157.
Rook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59, GB
Rosella, Eastern . . . . . . 7, 52, 190
Ruakaka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Sanderling . . . . . . . . . . . r . . . 127
Sandpiper-American
Pectoral, 46. 184
Curlew . . . . . . . . .
46, 184
46,' '127. 184
Siberian Pectoral
Terek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Sansom, Olga-Spur-Winged
Plover In
New Zealand, 138.
Savell, A. A.-Magpie
Carrying off Unfledged Sparrow, 1 3 ; Bird Observations in Tararuas, 31.
a t Pyramid ValScarlett. R. J.-Birds
l,="
- * , 6- 8- .
Secker H. L.-Habits
of Lesser Redpoll' 63. Flipper Pattern of Little
B I U ~ ~ e h ~ u iinn cook Strait. 1 4 5 :
Suggested Dispersal Movement by
Sacred Kingfisher, 1 6 3 ; Habits of
Lesser Redpoll, 164.
..
Sedgwick
E. H. -Congregating
~ r o n e e Cuckoo,
'
48.
. . . . . . . . 32, 41,
Shag-Black
Blue . . . . . . . . . . . . 146,
Rronze
. . . . 41, 148,
Little
...... ~ l a c l r " .. . . . . . . 41.
Little pied . . . . . . . . . . .
King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Marlborough . . . . . . . . . .
Pied . . . . . . . . 28, 41, 146,
Spotted . . . . . . . . 41, 179,
Stewart Island . . . . . . 146,
White-throated. 41,. 146,. 149,
. . . . . . 40,
ater-allied'
llnrs . . . . . . . . 40. 172.
..
:
-~
~
short-tallea
Sooty . . .
............
...
40, 146, 149,
of
149
149
149
179
41
198
137
149
214
149
179
178
177
LI I
111
Teal-Black
. . . . . . . . . . . 43. 180
Grey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
T e Aroha
48*, 49, 147,
Tern-Black-frosted
Casnian
29.. 49. . 141..
Crested
Fairy . . . . . . . . . . 49, 186,
White-fronted, 29, 50, 136,
..............
......
..............
142. 147. 150. 186.
hal lass arc he,'
bulleri.
Buller's.
s e e Mollymawk,
,, cauta. See ~ ' m a w k , 'White-capped
,, chrysostoma. See M'mawk, Grey-hd.
,, eremita. See M'mawk, Chatham Is.
,, melanophrys. See M'mawk, Black-
browed.
Thdassius b e r g i i See Tern, Crestea.
Three Kings, West King . . . . 21, 172
Thrush North Island . . . . . . . . . . 3
S&,
3, 31, 33, 58, 69, 77". 141,
149, 150, 195.
Tit-Pied
( N . I . ) . . 30, 54, 162, 1 9 2
Yellow-breasted (S.I), 7, 32, 54,
sland Colony of Spotted
Shags, 214.
Silver-eye-7,
8, 55, 62, 141, 145, 148.
150, 193.
Skua-Arctic
. . . . . . . . . . 51, 187
Pomarine . . . . . . . . .
51
Southern . . . . 1 5 , 51, 1 4 i ;
Skylark . . . . . . . . . . 31. 33. 1 Y 6
Sparrow House-Drinking
Nectar, 1 3 ;
31. 5 i . 100. 141. 149, 150, 1.95.
- -
Special
-.
Spoonbill, Royal . . . . . . . . 3-73, l 8 0
Starlipg. 31,-33,- 58, 59, 77", 141, 1 9 6 :
Hula .tmiea, U.
Booby in HailStein, P . A. S.-Brown
raki Gulf. 213.
Steptopelia chinensis. See Dove, laceneck.
Stercorarius parasiticus.
See Skun.
Arctic.
,, pomarinas. See Skna, Pomarine.
Sterna nereis. See Tern. Fairy.
., striata. See Tern. White-fronted.
Stictocarbo punctatne. See Shag, Spotd.
steadi. See Shan. Blue.
Eating
Stidolph, Mrs. N. F.-Silver-eye
Large Moth. 8.
Stidolph, R. H. ?.-A
Huia-billed Starling, 1 1 i Partially Albino Goldfinch.
1 3 . Renews, 59, 84, ZOO; Bnnded
~ o j t e r e l Inquiry ( w i t h C. A. Flemin_.).
-. . 6 2 ; Godwit Inquiry, 135.
. . . . . . . . . . 49, 186
Stilt-Black
White-headed o r Pied, 26, 47, 48".
- -
148. 150. 192.
Trqill, ~ . ~ . L ~ r e k of
d iWeka,
n ~ 139.
TUI . .
30 32 55 1 4 8 150, 1 9 3
Turbott E. ~ . L ~ r k i d e ' n t i' ds d r e s s , 6 ;
~ d r a h c eo f , Rosell? in North Auckland 7 . F r ~ g a t eB ~ r da t Whangarei,
35 ke4iew 83 . Winter Observations
on ' ~ o t o r n i ii n ' 1949, 107 ; Selected
Bibliography on Notornis, 1 1 5 ; XoteS
nn
Waders, 122. 169.
- .-Parene-arenea
.
Turdus e r i & a r u k
See Thrush, Song.
,, merula. See Blackbird.
Turnagra t a n a g r a See Thrush, N.I.
Turnstone . . . . . . . . . . 45. 133, 1 8 3
Tyto a l b a See Owl, Aust. Barn.
Urquhart, D. A. & R. B. Sibson-Wrybilled Plover a t Karaka, 170. .
Waikanae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 2 2
Wanganui River . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Warbler, Grey-?,
30, 32, 54, 69, 141,
~
..
--
148,- 150,, 192.
W a t t A H.-Red-billed
Gulls Taking
crickits ( P ) i n Plight, 1 0 0 ; z e d billed Gulls Snapping a t Flies, 131.
Watters, W. A.-Birds
a t Waimumu
Bush. Sout'hland, 7.
Weka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
~ & t h18land . . . . . . . . . 26, l 8 2
South Island . . . . . . . . 44, 150
Stewart Island . . . . . . 139, 146
Westport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Whangarei . . . . . . . .
35
Whimbrel-Asiatic
. 2W','24,' 4 i , 185
Hudsonian . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 1 8
.
119, 133, 137, 185.
. . . . 46. 127. 184
Stint-Red-necked
Stitchbird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Stokes, 4 . F.-Stilts
Nesting a t Ardmore, 26, 119.
Strigops habroptilus. See Kakapo.
Sturnns valgaris. See Starling.
Sula leucoeaster. See Boobv. Brown.
Mites from
~uthorland: J. H.-Bird
Brothers Islands. 136.
Swan-Black
. . . . 32, 33, 43, 150. l 8 1
Whit'e . . . . . . . . . . . . 43, 1 8 1
Swift, Spine-tailed . . . . . . . . . . l 7 3
Synoicus ypsilophorus. See Quail, Brn.
Tadorna variegata. See Duck. Parollise.
. . . . . . . . 31
Tararuas . . . .
~ a t t l e r - ~ r e y - t a i l e d . . . . . . . . 130
Uranderinc . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 8
T a u r a n g a . . .-. . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Taylor, M. &I.-Wood
Pigeons Ealing
Shoots and Leaves, 33.
&to
TYilliams, G. R.-Further
Notes on the
Chukar, 1 5 4 ; Notornis in March
(1951), 202.
Wilson R. A.-Shining
Cuckoo, 1 5 ;
~ o t e ' s on Heathcote-Avon Estbary,
1'72v .
A .
Wodzicki, K.-Plant
Material from Gannets' Nests, 12.
. . . . . . . . . . 148, 150
Wren-Bush
Rock . . . . . . . . . . 53, 207
Wrybill . . . . . . 46, 126, 170, 184, 212
Xenicus gilviventris. See Wren, Rock.
,, longipes. See Wren. Bush.
Xenus cinereus. See Sandpiper, Terek.
Yellowhammer, 31, 33, 57, 149, 195, 207
Yellowhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Zosterops lateralis. See Silver-eye.
of Publication-l:t
Apri, 1962.
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