Maori name for the New Zealand bird, Prosthemadera novae-zelandae, Gray; called the Parson-bird (q.v.), and earlier the Poe (q.v.).Another name is the Koko, and the young bird isdistinguished as Pi-tui, or Pikari. It is alsocalled the Mocking bird.
1835. W. Yate, `Some Account of New Zealand,' p. 52:
«Tui. This remarkable bird, from the versatility of its talentsfor imitation, has by some been called `the Mocking-Bird.'»
1845. E. J. Wakefield, `Adventures in New Zealand,' vol. i.p. 80:
«The little birds were chiefly the tui, or mocking-bird. Itresembles a blackbird in size and plumage, with two gracefulbunches of white feathers under the neck. It abounds in thewoods, and is remarkably noisy and active . . . it imitatesalmost every feathered inhabitant of the forest, and, whendomesticated, every noise it hears.»
1863. B. A. Heywood, `Vacation Tour at the Antipodes,' p. 170:
«I saw several birds named the Tooi; they are black, aboutthe size of a starling, and are sometimes called Parson-birds,as they have two white feathers like clergymen's bands in frontof them.»
1867. F. Hochstetter, `New Zealand,' p. 166:
«One of the prettiest creatures is the tui, Parson-Bird of thecolonists ( Prosthemadera Novae-Zelandae), which rovesabout in the lofty, leafy crowns of the forest-trees.»
1881. J. L. Campbell, `Poenamo,' p. 102:
«The tui, with his grand, rich note, made the wood musical.»
1884. T. Bracken, `Lays of Maori,' p. 21:
«Woo the Bell-bird from his nest, to ring
The Tui up to sing his morning hymns.»
Ibid. p. 101:
«I hear the swell
Of Nature's psalms through tree and bush,
From tui, blackbird, finch and thrush.»
1889. W. L. Buller, `Birds of New Zealand,' vol. i. facingp. 94.:
[A plate entitled] «Tui, or parson-bird.»
Ibid. pp. 94-100:
[A full description.]
1893. D. Frobisher, `Sketches of Gossipton,' p. 61:
As the forest soft echoes brought back their sweet chorus,
The tuis seemed silent from envy and spleen.»