ROOK SANCTUARY

BIKDS IN CHRISTCHURCH

history of colony movements in early days Mention in the will of Mr. George Humphreys, who died in Christchurch recently, of his anxiety that the bluegum plantation on his property at Fendalton, known as "Daresby Rookery," should be preserved as a sanctuary for the rooks established there, lias reminded some of the older residents of Christchurch that rooks flew over the Canterbury plains in formation in the early days of settlement. The "Daresby Rookery" has always been the birds' headquarters in Christchurch, but residents interviewed by a representative of the Christchurch Press recalled that a few yards from Cathedral Square there was a clump of trees, including blucgums, in which another colony of rooks found sanctuary. Probably they were a part of the Daresby group. In 3880, stated Mr. J. O. Jameson, > colony took up quarters on the property of his grandfather, Mr. James P. Jameson, who then held an area in the heart of the city. That the birds do not congregate in one spot was seen, he said, by the gathering of six pairs a few weeks ago on the property of his father, Mr.. George Jameson, in St. Albans. Here they built their nests for the first time, and he believed that they were part of the colony from Mr. Humphreys' rookery. Mr. F. Hobbs stated that ho had watched the flight of rooks over the then very small town -50 years ago, when on his way to school. The birds, he said, alternated in their flights between some trees in a garden not far from Cathedral Square find Mr. Humphreys' property. The actual date of the introduction of the rook to Canterbury is obscure and few records of tho growth in numbers or choice of habitat are available. At any rate, the rookery in Fendalton was one of the reasons which prompted Mr. Humphreys to purchase the land. It appears that the first rooks to come to New Zealand were brought to Nelson in 1562, and when they disappeared some years later the popular belief was that they had flown to Canterbury to join others that had been introduced there. In 1871 the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society had 36 birds shipped from London, but only five survived the voyage, and were liberated in the Botanic Gardens. Then they migrated to the Fendalton bluegums to fourtd a colony.

The only other rookery of any size in New Zealand is in Hawke's Bay. Observers state that the birds have diminished in numbers compared with 20 years ago.