NATIVE BIRDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 303, 22 December 1932, Page 3

NATIVE BIRDS.

SUPERB PICTURES AT MUSEUM. WORK OF ENGLISH ARTIST. Bird lovers, and particularly those interested in our own New Zealand birds, will find a treat in store in the New Zealand bird hall of the Auckland War Memorial Museum, where 48 watercolours by Miss L. A. Duff are now on view and will remain 011 view until January G. "The most life-like set of pictures that has ever been made of New Zealand birds" is the verdict of an authority, who saw the collection yesterday 011 the opening day. The set was ordered by the Xew Zealand Bird Protection Society, which has done such a lot to awaken public interest in our own remarkable and beautiful birds, and get them protected before they follow the huia into oblivion.

Miss Duff is an English painter who was intensely interested in the New Zealand birds, and she had not been lonsr in the Dominion before she saw the great possibilities they offered. Some good work had already been done on New Zealand birds, notably in Buller's famous book, but even those plates were not entirely satisfactory—there is something unconvincing about some of the backgrounds, for instance.. Miss Duff's paintings are not only perfect from the ornithological standard, but are works of art. She has given each bird its appropriate background, ai.d the whole picture is thoroughly New Zealand in atmosphere. The actual painting of the specimens is beautifully done; each feather seems distinct, and each bird instinct with life. She has obtained in a singularly successful manner the sheen that is seen 011 some birds when the sun shines on Hicm. Where she lias used trees for background she has shown her artistry in subtle little touches that may escape the casual observer but will delight the connoisseur. For instance, when painting some of those dainty little birds that haunt the kawakawa, or native pepper, tree, she the young on the nest when the is in bud, and the grown-up bird against a t"ce 011 which the fruit has ripened. It is a small detail, but the same sure touch of the artist is noticeable right through the collection, and is the secret of its perfection % a whole. Two Lectures. The collection includes the representative birds of New Zealand, coastal, oceanic and bush, from the tiny rifleman to the big kakapo and the unwieldy cormorant. Where appropriate the bird has been shown in some characteristic attitude, such as the red-splashed kaka just alighting, the oyster-catcher foragin<r on the beach, or the cormorant on the rocks drying its wet plumage after a fishinsr ex pet 1 tion. Mr. R. Falla, who arranged the illuminating labels under each bird, will give two guide lectures during the course of the exhibition, 011 the afternoons -: January 5 and G. he *iird Protection Society, which col .missioned Miss' Duff, intends to have the beautiful pictuies reproduced, together with a short description of each bird. It is hoped that every school and college will possess a set, and in that way the interest of the children will be awakened, and the protection of our bird life become a matter of national concern.