SAVE OUR NATIVE BIRDS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 15, 19 January 1927, Page 8

SAVE OUR NATIVE BIRDS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I was. very interested 'in reading the remarks, of Mr. Oliver, of ■ the Dominion Museum, on this subject, as his observations coincide with what I myself always contend, namely, that our "native birds are being destroyed by-im-. ported mammals/ and- particularly the black and brown rats, which infest the bush on the hilly country. There is an inexhaustible supply of these pests all over the ranges here (the Tararuas) and with' such a Bupply I cannot help having a smile when I read of your "rat hunts" in Wellington. To instance what a Bupply of these pests - our hilly country . contains, opossum trappers here usually take tins filled with poisoned fat with a hole cut in them, sufficient to admit of a rat's head, but not an •.opossums, and in this way- they succeed •■ in poisoning the rats along the locality they intend trapping before they lay the traps, and I might say, Sir, if they did not do this their catch in the morning would average about four opossums and about twenty or thirty rats,or as many traps set off. by the rats. It is along these lines, Sir, that I believe something useful could be done to protect our beautiful native birds, and probably ourselves, if- the Departments interested in the destruction of rats, or the Acclimatisation Society, were to issue tins of poisoned fat to the opossum trappers free of charge. I believe many of them would only be too glad to "blaze the track" for these pests, and if only a few thousand were killed annually in this way by the trappers, the loss of- these few thousands would mean millions in about two years by progenital factors. '. „. Weasels I have not myself seen far' ia the bush, but there are plenty on the outskirts, and although la6t year I examined, the stomachs of dozens of opossums trapped on the hills by a trapper residing next door, I have never seen any signs- of birds or feathers in their stomachs, the contents always being young shoots . of trees and the kernels of berries. It must be remembered, though, that opossums ares trapped when the birds are not breeding, and too sure a conclusion could not, of course, be drawn by not seeing anything suspicious in their stomachs at such a time, but I am strongly of opinion- that very little harm is done to our native birds, by opossums, although they must be a great annoyance by runniug about the trees at night and frightening the birds off their nests. ■ !' ■

it Leaving apart the fact,. Sir, that the downing of the bush" has contributed a most potential share towards the destruction of our native birds, there is plenty o£ bush hi certain parts, and with plenty of feed in it, but with not a native bird in it; but there are rats, oh, yes, by the millions, and it is to the advent of this customer to our shores that we must soon. regret the total loss of cur native birds unless something is done to stouch or eradicate their hordes from our forest reserves and bird sanctuaries.

Trusting some abler pen than mine will also take this matter up in defence of our beautiful native birds, who place such confidence in us when in the bush, and who are almost asking us now to protect their remnant before their total destruction by. this pest now mentioned by Mr. Stidolphj Mr. Oliver, and myself.—l- am, etc.,

JOHN" H. O'CONNOR. Greytown, 17th January.