HERON FALLS ON STEAMER.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 303, 21 December 1921, Page 7

HERON FALLS ON STEAMER.

EXHAUSTED IN MED-OCEAN. A REMARKABLE CIRCUMSTANCE. CROSSING THE ATLANTIC* A grey heron, which belongs to one of the largest types of this bird, was to-day received at the Auckland Museum by the curator. Mr. T. V. Checseman. The bird is technically known as the Ardea Cinerea. and is dead. It was given to the museum by the commander of the New Zealand Shipping Co.'s steamer Kaikoura, Captain J. Downton, who broupnt it across , the Pacific. Ocean during hi.; recent voyage from England. The heron, states Captain Downton, flew on board on the North Atlantic at a position lat. 30 degrees north, long .")1 degrees west, approximately mid-way between the Bermudas and the Azores, at a dUtance of at least 1000 miles from the nearest land. Its appearance iv this position is considered very remarkable, and Mr. Cheeseman suggested that it must have been attempting to cross the Atlantic when it (lew aboard the Kaifcoura. It was in a very poor condition, lieing a mere bag of bones —and was thoroughly tired out and quite spent when rescued. After a choice of food from the sailors it decided on fish, and lived on kippers, bloaters, and various fresh fish during the voyage. The date it arrived on board was November ]">. and after remaining alive for nearly a month it died on December 11, five days before the. Kaikoura steamed into port at Auckland. Its death occurred after a I cold wet nighty .when the captain states he feared it had no proper protection from the weather. It was very well and healthy up to the time of ite ileath, and improved vastly in appearance. Kor the last five days of the voyage it was kept in the refrigerating chamber, and was taken out at noon to-day when given to the curator. The total length of the bird when stretched out is approximately r>ft; the length of the legs, including the thighs, is 22in: and the length of the neck to the top of the head is 19in. The bill is just over Gin long, and the span of the wings is sft Sin. Herons are found in all parts of the world and there are many different spec- ■ ies. of which the largest is found in Africa. The pray heron, of which the one given to the Museum is not a fully developed specimen, is found in North Asia, Kuropo, the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, Africa, and its range stretches across the Atlantic Ocean to North America. Though herons have been known to attempt the flight across the ocean before, the event is in itself most unusual.