WAYS OF THE WILD.

Auckland Star, 2 September 1933, Page 1 (Supplement)

WAYS OF THE WILD.

CHATHAM ISLAND BIRDS. RECENT OBSERVATIONS.

(By A. T. PYCROFT.).

Mr. C. A. Fleming, of Auckland, who visited the Chatham Islands between February 4 and IS this year, has sent me his notes on the bird life seen during the trip. Tho number of species seen was 26; this includes sea birds when within one day's steam of the islands. Owing to the unfavourable weather conditions, none of the smaller outlying islets were, visited. There is generally a considerable swell, which makes it; extremely difficult to land on the small islets. Messrs. Gilbert Archey and Charles Lindsay, then members of the Christchurch Museum staff, visited the Chathame in December, 1923, and January, 1924. They were also unable to gain access to certain small islets owing to adverse weather conditions. The Chatham Islands are situated about 450 miles east-south-cast of New Zealand between the parallels 43.30 and 14.30, south latitude, and consist of one large island called Chatham Island, 222,490 acres in extent, and several smaller ones. Chatham Island is 30 milea long and is almost in the shape of an isosceles triangle, the northwestern side, about 30 mi'es in length, forming the base of Pitt Island, which is SJ miles in length with an area of 15,000 acres. Pitt Island lice to the south of Chatham Island, from which it is separated by a narrow passage of water, about 14 miles in width, called Pitt Strait. Mangere lies to the west, and South-East Island to the south-east of Pitt Island, from which the former is distant a mile and a half, and the latter a mile and a quarter. The Chatham Islands were discovered by Captain Broughton on November 29, 179 L Broughton named the island after Wβ ship, the Chatham. This vessel, with the Discovery, formed the expedition in command of Captain George Vancouver, the first voyager to visit New Zealand after Cook's last voyage in 1773. Mr. Fleming states that the greater part of Chatham Island is composed of bog lande or "clears." Their only vegetation is a very stunted growth of bracken, and swamp grasses, with many mosses, lichens, lycopodiums, mingmringi, and a small red berried shrub which seems to take the place of the mainland manuka. The soil of these bog lands is either sandy or very peaty. In the peaty areas large weed-filled swamp/ pools exist even in summer. In winter the bogs are impassable. Peat fires are frequent, and last over great periods of time. Horses and cattle sometimes graze on the "clears," but for the most part they are desolate stretches of barren land devoid of interest.

Birds of the Bog and Bush. The. birds of the bogland, or "clears," are the pipit, commonly known as the ground lark, tho harrier haw.k and introduced birds, the red poll and the starling. On the , elopes of gullies and on high limestone cliffs on the lagoon side—there is a large lagoon at Te Whanga—small patches of bush occur, mainly of Olearia traversi and karaka. In the karaka groves there is no undergrowth, the black peaty or eandy soil being covered merely by the karaka leaves. Here the warbler, fantail, whiteeye, and pigeon are seen. Tlio wooded headlands on tho lagoon were at one time mutton bird localities. Several wekas were seen in an open area of grass land surrounded by bracken. The grey duck seems still fairly common. Several were seen on Tenant Lake; on tho lagoon, however, where black swans are plentiful, no ducks were seen. Tlie swan consumes large quantities of the duck's food, ana in New Zealand is eaid to bo displacing the native ducks and pukeko. Wekas are plentiful wherever there is bush. The South Island.woodhen, or weka, was transferred to the Chatham Islands in 100.">, but weka bones have been collected at the Chatliams, showing that a species formerly existed there and became extinct. The introduced weka is so common in places that it causes trouble by stealing eggs, and is therefore shot by the settlers. Pukekos exist, but Mr. Fleming saw none. One Chatham Island pigeon was seen, but it is still fairly common. Jt is very similar to the New Zealand pigeon, but differs slightly in colouring and is a little smaller in length. A redfronted parrakect was seen.' This bird is reported to be common on some of I tho small islets. Although tho shining I cuckoo was not seen it is well known to tho settlers. Another bird seen was I the Chatham Island warbler. Mr. Fleming docs not consider its son;.' so J varied or so often repeated as that of our grey warbler, and the tone is much less pleasing to the ear. Archey anil Lindsay state: "Tho Chatham Island warblers were not much given to song, and tho best heard was a. faint trill of four notee. It is by far the commonest native bird on the Chatham Islands, mul perhaps the tamest. The tui wns frequently seen and heard. The pied fantui! is plentiful near homesteads." Land Birds Peculiar to the Chathams. Besides the Chatham Island pigeon ami warbler seen by Mr. Fleming, the following birds were also peculiar to this island group: Two small rails, a fern bird, and a bellbird. A snipe is still to be found on South-east Island, and a robin with brownish black plumage mi Little Mangere Islet. There was aNo ;i species of swan considerably lurger than the Australian black swan, which, existed at these islands as well ;is in jNew Zealand. Travers, who collected a number of specimens of the snipe in 1871, states that it seldom Hies, and then (inly for ;i short distance. It lives in holes in tho rocks, feeding at night. The Chatham Island rail was discovered on Mangere Island in IS7I and exterminated 2.") years later. The other rail was collected by Dieffenbach in IS4O. II also U now extinct. Tho fern bird was also exterminated about 25 rears after ifs discovery in ISCB. Tim Chatham Island bellbird was discovered by Dieffenhach in 183!). It was easily distinguished from the New Zealand 'bellbird by its much larger size. • ■ •'