IN TOUCH WITH NATURE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 57, 4 September 1909, Page 13

IN TOUCH WITH NATURE.

(By James Drummond, F.L.S., F.Z.S.) (All Rights Reserved.) (For The Post.) NOTES ON NATURAL HISTORY IN NEW ZEALAND. Mr. A. Hansen, keeper of the Tiritiri Island lighthouse, at the mouth of the Hauraki Gulf, states that pied fantails are numerous on the island just now, and on dull calm nights they gather in great numbers about the lighthouse to feast on the moths, which on those nights are always plentiful throughoufc the year. "They never come on clear nights, even if quite calm," he says. "This seems curious, as, although the moths are not represented as well on clear nights as on dull ones, there are always some. The birds seem to be continuously on the wing for hours. I have never seen them resting anywhere. Sometimes they flutter against the lantern panes to pick the moths resting there, but always remain on the wing. They never dash against the lantern like other birds ; probably they have learnt, by experience, to avoid doing so. The nearest bush is fully half a mile away, and as they are seldom about before dark they must traverse that distance in the dusk, although probably they rise up int6 the air till they are in the focus of the light, and are guided in that way. They do not return to the bush until after daylight. Sometimes as many as forty to fifty can be seen at the one time. The bell-birds also come about the houses, sucking the nectar out of- the flowers in the garden. They arc specially fond of the honey in the canna or 'Indian-shot' flowers. These birds, however, are never seen at night." Mr. C. L. M'Call, of Amodeo Bay, Coromandel, Auckland, has sent a note on monster earthworms which havecome under his notice. Some exceptionally large earthworms have been produced in these islands, and these giants do not seem to be uncommon in some parts, as Mr. *M'Call says that they are plentiful at Amodeo Bay. Many times," he says, "I have been startled, when going through the bush, at hearing a strange sucking sort of sound, as if some one was nulling a stick out of swampy ground." I have looked down to see if I had trodden on a root or a stick in a wet place. Finding that I was on firm ground, I was at a loss to account for the sound, until I was told thafc ifc was made b a large worm. I have since proved the statement to be correct hundreds of times. In some places there are numbers of these worms two feet long and over, and as thick as a man's finger. Ine longest one I have seen measured was a little over. three feet." An earthworm found by Mr. R. Shakespear on the Little Barrier Island measured four feet six inches when alive. It was sent to Dr. Benhara, of Dunedin, who named it Diporochaeta gigantea. There js an Australian earthworm which has attained the length of six feet, and one trom Brazil has measured four fenfc when preserved j when alive it would probably be five feet 'at least. Mr. E. T. Frost states that the magpie has become thoroughly acclimatised in the district between Auckland and Helensville, a distance of about thirty miles. Magpies were taken to the district over twenty years ago by Mr. Slatter, who liberated them on his farm near the Woodhill railway station, and from that centre they have spread far and wide. Mr. Frost describes the magpie as one of the most useful birds a farmer can encourage on his estate, "It will follow close behind the plough, and eat everything in the shape of grubs and insects that the implement turqs over. This summer there has been quite a plague of crickets at Waimauku, and' I have watched the magpies eating them by hundreds. With their strong bills they tear off pieces of rotten trees and logs and get the grubs inside. They usually settle in pairs on the edge of the bush, and for a certain distance on each side of them no other members 01 their kindred are allowed to settle without a fierce battle. When the young become big enough and strong enough to look after themselves the old ones drive them off. Mr. Frost knows of a place where a pair of magpies have lived for years. Some days ago they drove their last young one away. The three had been living together, apparently in perf°j *» annon y* «ntil the parents concluded that ft was time for the youngster to go; "and go he did, and in a hurry, with the old ones screaming after him until he disappeared over the range. "I see that so far yon decline to take sides on the question whether the black fantail and the pied fantail are one species or two," writes Mr. A. N. Harrop, from Hokitika. "If they are distinct, I am sure that sometimes they mate together. I have seen and carefully watched two fantails — one black and one pied— building their nests together. This was on the Kawhaka Creek, near Hokitika. Judging from her strict attention to the nest-building business, I assumed that the black, was the hen-bird. The pied, although carrying steadily enough at limes, appeared to take this serious matter rather frivolously, and apparently rather enjoyed trying to divert his mate's diligence. Unfortunately, I moved further afield before the young were hatched. Mr. J. F. Martin, one of my party, has informed me of the fact that on another occasion on Tucker Flat, near Kanieri, he carefully watched a black and a pied fantail building one nest together. Owing to the fact that they are not molested, these pretty little twittei-evs have become very tame. At Mr. Arthur Morse's Hotel, at Kororo, near Greymouth, and at Mrs. Paulson's, at Taramakau, a short time ago, you could have seen a pied fantail flying in and out of the rooms at will, catching house-flies." It is probable that if a vote was taken in New Zealand to decide the prettiest, most engaging, most charming, and most fascinating bird in the land, the award would be given by a great majority to the fantail. ' Amongst the correspondents who sing the praises of this little bird is Mr. Harold Blow, ''of Brook by, Auckland, who very happily describes the fantail as "an ideal example ' of guileless innocence. It seems to have absolutely no comprehension of danger, or any instinctive dread of man. When passing through the bush I have had one perch on my extended hand or rest on the barrel of a gun. During the last few days I have been much interested in several fantails which have made regular visits into the house, evidently in search of food. After catching a number of flies, they quietly take their departure through the door in the most unconcerned manner imaginable. You seem to think that the fantail has no song, but I have on several occasions heard specimens pouring forth a delightful little tune of a dozen or more notes. It is certainly not the regular thing for the fantail to sing, but there is no doubt that it 'tunes up' sometimes. While on the subject of singing," Mr. Blow adds, "I might mention another bird whose name I have not seen in the list of our songsters. This is the white-eye or I blight-bird. It is seldom that T have heard the singing, but to me its nolea

are sweeter than those of any other bird. The last occasion on which I heard a white-eye singing was at the end of January, and it kept on repeating its sweet little song over and over for twenty minutes or more."