CARE OF NATIVE BIRDS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1927, Page 3

CARE OF NATIVE BIRDS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I have read your further review by Mr. Stidolph and also the secretary of our Native Birds' Protection Society on the above subject, which, as usual, are most interesting and instructive. To me, Sir, as well as to a great many others, the time seems opportune now that substantial means should be devised to protect the remnants of,our native birds before it is too late. I cannot see any better way to this end than that already suggested through your valuable columns by Mr. Stidolph, Mr. Oliver, and the secretary of the New Zealand Native Birds' Protection Society, namely, the transference of as many species as possible to properly protected bird sanctuaries under control of a competent custodian, and that a rigorous campaign be set up against the pests destroying them —rats, wild cats, stoats, weasels, etc;, particularly the rat, which now infests the bush and has the habit of emptying the young birds or eggs out of the nests, or eating them and then using the nests for themselves, it being a common occurrence to find birds' nests in the bush full of rats' excreta or young rats.

It is unfortunate that opossums have been introduced to Kapiti Island, as they are highly destructive to some of the birds' principal "feeding trees." I have seen five-finger trees strippd of nearly every leaf by opossums; and "pidgin woods" and "rumy-rumy" bitten and scratched almost to destruction; young lance-woods completely ring-barked, and in this way alone it would be deplorable to allow them to overrun Kapiti, the place being constructed too well for the practice of their habits.

I notice a correspondent has sent you a clipping in reference to opossums and what they do in Louisiana (America). The opossum mentioned by your correspondent would in all probability be the Virginia opossum, which inhabits the North, others being confined to the South. It has .is many' as from six to fifteen at a birth, and lias all the characteristics mentioned by your correspondent in the way of skulking about, killing birds, eating eggs, frogs, crabs, insects, etc. The opossums we have here in New Zealand are the Australian Phalangus, which we call opossums; they are a very different proposition from the American opossum, the true home of the opossum being. America, where it is said to take the place of the insectivora of the Old World; the Phalangus we have here are said to be natives of Australia, their chief diet there, it is said, consisting of the leaves and young shoots of the peppermint gums, and sometimes a bird.—l am, etc.,

J. 0. O'CONNOR, Greytown, 31st January.

Conscience money is from time to time received by business houses, but rarely does an association havo money sent to it after producing a public entertainment. Such, however, was the pleasant experience of the Auckland Military Sports Association, which on Tuesday evening received from one signing himself "Whisk" the sum of 2s as conscience money (states the "New Zealand Herald"). The donor explained that he had "viewed the show from the top of the Wallace Ward" of the Auckland Hospital.