BLACK SWAN

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 895, 15 August 1910, Page 6

BLACK SWAN

-4 AS SEEN AT THE' CHATHAMS. The black swan is a somewhat rare •"bird on most parts of the mainland of New Zealand, but this is; far from being, true of some of the outlying islands.' On the .' Chatham Islands swans are so numerous that, in the words of a recent visitor, they are "a bit of a nuisance." On the icjauds of the group there are many inland lagoons and around these the swan congregate in myriads, their nests being so close together that it is wellnigh impossible to avoid trauiplmg on them iu traversing the shores of. the lagoons. No attempt hue been made to compute the numbers of the flocks of swan that frequent the islands, but the total must be enormous. Thousands of eggs (says the visiters) have been collected b.v small parties in the space of a few hours. As a rulo, however, the swan on tho Chathams enjoy a comparative immunity from attack, which possibly goes far to explain their -continued presence on tho islands. They are freely "bagged" by the islanders to uupply their own needs, but this, causes no appreciable diminution in their numbers. From anything like a general and sustained attack they are protected by the, existing game, laws of tho Dominion.". These''suffice'to prevent an exportation of thV:birds, to New Zealand.