News From Members

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 9 (Supplement)

News From Members

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TIT Y kitten is a playful tabby. I chased xu - him right up a tree one day. Mother puts out milk for him and sometimes another cat steals it. One evening when we went for a walk the little scamp followed us. Once a boy swished close by on a bike and I think puss was afraid. He was tired when we reached home. —Lucius (7). Upper Hutt. Where Food is Tested. I went with my class to the WallaceVille Nutrition Laboratories. We were pleased at the prospect of missing school, but we found the place vejy interesting. There were hundreds of white rats; even some furless ones, which had been born the day before. They are so bred perfectly that all food reactions in them are the same as those in human beings, though on the smaller scale. There were guinea pigs (hold them up by the tails and their eyes will fall out!)/ real pigs—some so fat they could hardly move—in lovely clean pens, although they did smell! There were lots of dogs running around, and fowls, sheep, and rabbits, all in their own pens. A black and a white rabbit began fighting while we were watching. The black one won, with a great lump of white fur from the other’s back in his mouth. Several cows were there, and horses, too. One attracted our attention because, although fully developed, it was the size of a very small foal. Its thyroid gland does not function, and it has never grown. Nothing can be done for it, but we were told that it is really very happy there. When it arrived it used to run up behind the cows and nip them!— Miss Billy (15), Wellington Gathering Walnuts.

Some days when I arrive home after school mother and I go down to the bush to gather walnuts. It is fun to hunt on the ground; some have still

their green.coats when they fall to the ground, and they stain our hands. Sometimes father comes down and shakes the tree, so that there are ever so many more to pick up.—Rose Lit (10), Masterton. Farm Dogs. I have trained Tip to fetch in thecows now. He chases the sheep everywhere, but if he-chases the cows they turn around and chase him. So I have decided that i shall make a cowdos of him, instead of a sheep-dog. v e have lots of sheep-dogs—Cliff, Laddie, Don, Roy, and Toss. Spotty is a black and white fox terrier, but she is a rabbit dog. Dart is another rabbit dog, but she is a borzoi, or something. She is tall, with long legs, and a long, narrow head, and she can run taster than any of the other dogs. — Swagger Bill (16), Waipawa. Signs of Winter. * Autumn is nearly over now and the ehrvsanthemums are in flower, there are lots of .fantails about. The grass gets greener and fresher. Snowflake (8), Hunterville. Aeroplanes I Although I have been accustomed to hearing, aeroplanes for many years, I still drop whatever I am doing when I hear a drone and try to locate the sound. They seem to hold a special attraction for me. I can remember the first time I saw an aeroplane —about ten years ago, at school one day. All the children and teachers stood sub and stared and stared at such a strange sight. Yesterday, I had my fill, and it was a fine sight to see nine planes flying in formation through low-lying clouds, with two or three others dipping around. On my wanderings yesterday afternoon after the rain, I slithered down steep paths and under dripping branches, down to the waterfront, and then I saw him. He sat on a boatshed, a bright patch of colour, dtessed in his brilliant plumage. His bright jewels of eyes were alertly on the water and, noticing his large beak, I thought of a paragraph I had read ou kingfishers. It appears they eat fish, head first, What a peculiar characteristic! I felt good as I took everything in. Th-o brightly-coloured bird, calm sea, the planes overhead and the drying path and road. Freshness was everywhere. —Buster Boy (17), Wellington.

Double Rainbow.

Have you ever seen a double rainbow? There was a beautiful one over the I’aekakariki hill. The top rainbow was clear and bright, and under it was another one, with broader bands of colour with blurred edges. Have I ever told you how beautiful the coastot some thick bush he saw the little

line is here? To-night it is wonderful. The day has been sunny, and this evening every object looks clear-cut and close. That means a frost. To the north-west is Kapiti Island, and even the small Islands this side of KapiU are showing clearly. The sun has set against a bright golden sky, and the South Island looks as though it has been made of navy-blue and cut with a sharp knife. To tire south is Mana Island. The lights of Pukerua Bay twinkle under the headland near Pllmmerton. ~ , , „ „ High up more twinkling lights are of motor-cars coming over I’aekakariki hill. Nearer us are the lights of the township. The sea everywhere >s glistening gold. Last night it was fu 1 moon and the sea was all dancing silver. The islands then all- lo°k ea blurred and mysterious. —Toi-toi (9), Paraparaumu.

Giant Caterpillar. Mv auntie was given a monarch butterfly caterpillar. It is nearly two and a half inches long! Ou Sunday I saw a cocoon. A friend is going to give us a butterfly when the cocoon bursts open. I am of course looking forward to it. The caterpillar feeds on the “swan” plant only.—Popcorn (9), Wellington. Cruel Sport.

On our lake there are lots and lots of wild ducks this year—about two or three hundred. Don’t you hate to see 'hem shot, Kiwi? We’re having some for tea to-night—but I hate eating the poor things, even though they are so delicious. It’s the same with the stags; people go on the ranges and one day I counted as many as 37 shots. Quite often, I expect, they missed the stag they were after, but I hardly think they would miss 37 times, do you? So I expect they shot quite a few. I don’t know bow they could shoot the poor things. One man I know caught a young one with his hands not long ago! After coming out

fawn just a yard or so away from him. He crept Up behind it and locked his arms round its neck so it could not escape. I think the faun must have been too surprised to run when he found he was captured, but' they let him go again. Wouldn’t you love one for a pet? They get very tame and follow you like a dog, I have heard people say.— N.Z. Lass (16), Waipawa. Pot-Pourri. Winter grips my toes, causing chilblains. and making me so hungry! The row of poplars which border the orchard have lost their leaves, and through their bare branches I can see the loganberry vines, like snakes on their wires, while the leaves lie in little heaps, and, like the apple trees in the far-off ground, make little mounds of leaf mulch. I thought of spring and its greenness, and blossom of summer, and the ripening sunshine of harvesting autumn, and now, even winter with a useful purpose —the fallen leases as food for the earth for the season to come. The blight birds, ever busy, living on the grubs and insects, are very in-

teresting just now. I dig a little piece of ground and watch the score of birds that settle and scratch and find those insects. The winter rain helps to soften the roots of the trees, as the sap goes down for a winter rest. It is like a little holiday for the trees, and their branches seem to enjoy the clean sweep of the wind through them. The manager at the orchard asked me to help him in the shed. I was surprised to see how applies, which touch anything decay. Those carefully wrapped in tissue paper, and put in the cold storage, kept well, but those for general winter sale were all on long shelves, and looked and smelt delicious. I did enjoy helping, especially as all the special ones go into the elderpress; that squeezes out all the juice and strains it, ready for fermentation, he said. The cider smelt nasty, after tho apple smell, — Dad’s Cobber (lilt Carterton.