WONDERS OF THE WILD

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 996, 10 December 1910, Page 6

WONDERS OF THE WILD

A METEOR IN FEATHERS. KAREWA, THE QUAIL HAWK. (Bi Wili, Lawsos.) . ' (All Eights Reserved.) From the edge of a flat rock, high on a steep face of the range, Karewa, the Quail Hav.-Jc, looked out over the wooded and green-grassed valley that stretched away eastward to the sea. There were a few homesteads dotted along the valley and at the bay where the valley ended there was a rcd-and-wkito cluster of houses. To the keen sight of the falcon this prospect was more than photographic in the impress-ion it conveyed. In a recess mado by a great stone overhanging the flat rock, the mate of Karewa was fidgeting with some loose, grass and other vegetable rubbish which tho wind had blown into his eerie—she was shaping a.rough nest wherein to lay her eggs. This was the first nesting of Karewa and his mate. They wcro young and handsome birds—true falcons, cousins to the bush hawk, though larger than that bird. Their bodies above were a brownish black in colour, and speckled and spotted with white and brown below; cJiin and throats, white with streaks ■of brown, and strong curved beaks and talous, which gave them a sinister appearance. Karewa's mate was larger than he—her wings were inches longer—and fiercer and more persevering. She had settled down on the rough nest. Kal-ewaV glance turned from her to the valley again, and something he saw made him lean forward, tense and eager. A"' long way below him kakas were winging along, flying with a parrot's quick-beating flight.- With a short cry, subdued but fierce, he spread his pinions and dropped off the edge of the rock. The kakas were nearly beneath him; ho drooped ivith Teckless speed at an angle that would rapidly meet their line of flight. As he swooped, a meteor of' feathers', Karewa screamed his harsh, terrifying warning—a warning that-was prone to paralyse with fear. The kakas scattered and tried to rise so as to soar above the hawk. There were eight of them, but Karewa saw only one, for,.like every, animal.and,bird of prey, he knew; his efforts must concentrate on one individual. The parrot that was chosen knew it too, and as the hawk rushed down to strike. the deathblow at the unprotected head the kaka suddenly turned over with beak, and claws uppermost to fight the destroyer. Flapping and screaming the parrot , struck at the cruel'head and"throat,~but Karewa,, though thwarted, was not dismayed. He struck at the kaka, and both fell through the warm, spring air, the parrot hopelessly, the hawk craftily. When the ground was near the parrot saw a haven near by in an isolated pitch of 'native bush. He turned for one swift dash for safety. So quickly, was tills done, the hawk was almost outwitted! But-his eyes saw (in one flash of time) that unprotected head, and saw nothing else.- In that moment the. cowerful wings beat fiercely, and even "as the hunted bird reached the bush the terrible beak struck and ■■ clung simultaneously, . the talons closed on a lifeless parrot. Karewa flew with slow-boating wings to' a bare-limbed tree on the hillside. There he carefully plucked the kaka of all its feathers, and took his meal at' his solitary leisure. When it was finished and his beak well polished on the tree-bough, he rose in ever-higher circles, and at length alighted once more on his rocky outlook. His mate still sat on the nest. 1 ' At his approach, she'left it,. and-Karewa saw that there was an egg in it, an egg of yellow-' ish tint, all mottled with rich red 'brown. He went at once and took his turn on the nest, while his mate sped away in search of food. She had no sporting instincts; she took a direct route to the nearest farmyard where there wero pigeons and chickens.' Some half-grown chickens were hi the ' open farmyard, ' and the farmer's daughter was'--feeding them. There were pigeons flying about the ,barns—pigeons rose or ducked as the ' fancy ■■ .took"--them, - -'at 'the quail hawk's approach; The rooster cawed .a warning, but Karewa's mate was out to seek food, and took no note of aught 'else. She dashed straight down among the fowls— pigeons were strong flier's, and'their pursuit might mean a long chase: 'With a swooping rush she seized a chicken within three feet of the girl, and the girl struck at the. hawk with a stick she held. But the hawk was already soaring away, the chicken limp in her talons, and when a man who had run for a shot-gun fired. it her, she was out of range. A quarter of an hour later she was back at the eerie, turning Karewa out and settling.herself in the rude nest.' In the end there were-three eggs in the nest, and in' time 'three young quail hawks, whoso hungry mouths required much food.. And the. parent birds became more fierce and relentless in their forays, .which extended over ■ all the country visjble from their outlook, right down to tho.sea. One day. the hawks attackeda large flock'' of pigeons that were circling about the settlement, and then began a great contest for altitude. ; ' Tho . pigeons swept!up in great circles, .striving to get above the hawks, and so render ■ them harmless, for Karewa and his kind must strike from above to kill. But the hawks' greater cunning, and stronger muscles gave them tile mastery, and presently each had selected a victim. Karewa's mate killed hers within five minutes. The pigeon Karewa pursued was a strong flier. It dodged several times to gain distance, and then set off on a • lons straight flight. Here it was quite equal to the hawk, which went after'it fiercely. Back . towards the townshin rushed pursued and pursuer. Pound a tall barn he piEeou swerved. Karewa appeared to )e rushing sheer into the wooden walls, then, with a ,long leap in his flight, he cleared the ridgc-nole. aud nearly got the pigeon; ho missed it' by only a small margin. Another straight race another swerve, and the pigeon dashed into an upper bedroom of a house. The lawk followed without hesitation. The luttering .and thrashing of wrings-brought he man of tho bouse upstairs. When he entered tho room the hawk had the dead, pigeon'in his talons, aud only the slamming.of the window, nrevented the bird's escape. Then Karowa attacked the man. Eventually he'was beaten to the lloor with a' sack, and captured in a halfsmothered condition, then carried downstairs, where his cantor called for a pair of scissors. "We'll cut his wings," said uT ,1 -, " He ,riu do to scaro the small birds from.the garden." Tho blades were opened'to cut.' Instinctively Karewa knew.that here was shame and ignominy Ate struggled and screamed. Snip! The flight-feathers fluttered to the floor, as the kaka and pigeon feathers had often done when they met death in. mid-air. It would bo many .a day ere that fiat rock on the bold hill-side would know this ii.awK again. - ■ ' In the gardenho was released. At once no sprang into the air, onlv to snin in a futile half-circle and crash to"earth agam. Etch the sparrows in tho apple rrees laughed at his downfall. M%t came;. Karewa climbed to a low bou°h ?i spi i ?t .. th , e night in sullcn ra Se- "in* the carhest dawn, straining his eves towards his home, he saw his mate, a living thing m the radiant sky. She was sweeping and swooping and'comiii" always nearer. And the shame made him hide beneath tho trees. With a harsh cry ivaren-as mate swirled over the garden, passed back, and cried again ilie longing for freedom overcame" his shame. He answered■ her cry,, made another heart-broken effort to fly, and to her astonishment, foil back' Vain to earth. She alighted or, a -swavin, bough and regarded him awhile. That her lord should come to this was beyond her conception These was no pity in her, onhanger, harsh, savage. She ro=« on wide pinions and made a sound that wis a question. Then Karewa. as though' he had summoned up his courage, answered with a queer call. At found of it his mate launched at.him and struck .Vnd Karowa lay dead in the garden