BIRDS OF PASSAGE

Evening Post, Volume 105, Issue 4, 6 January 1928, Page 8

BIRDS OF PASSAGE

WHERE WILL THEY GO ? ' THE FOUR NIGHTINGALES j The importation, without departmental permission, of four nightingales had as a corollary a proposal to export from New Zealand to the Old Country some rare New Zealand birds, by way of exchange. The first action has been criticised as lacking not only in authorisation but in probability of success from on acelimatisa- i tion point of view. The critics held that a migratory bird like the nightingale, introduced into a new southern country, is being made to dice with death. They say that the experimeut is almost sure to fail, and that in any case if-ought not to succeed unless on better evidence than the pretty idea of sentimentalists unbacked by scientific evidence and official authority. As to the exchange sequel, any attempt to export rare New Zealand birds is now watched carefully. It is difficult to define limits for such exportation, or to enforce them when defined. The following correspondence explains itself. The first letter, dated 15th December, is written to the secretary of the New Zealand Bird Protection Society (Captain E. V. Sanderson) by Mr. G. P. Newton, acting for the Under-Secretary of the Department of Internal Affairs. "I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 9th inst., forwarding copy of an extract from the 'New Zealand Herald' relative to the question of obtaining' certain absolutely protected birds for the purpose of sending them to the London Zoo by way of exchange for the nightingales recently imported, and asking for an intimation as to the Department's attitude regarding the supplying of the world's zoos with protected birds. In reply, I am" directed by the Hon. Acting Minister of Internal Affairs to inform you that it has already been decided not to authorise the capture of absolutely protected birds for exportation out of the Dominion. I may add for your information that no application for authority has yet been received, but, iv the meantime, Mr. Wilson, who brought the nightingales to New Zealand, is being informed that authority to take absolutely protected birds for the purpose of export cannot be granted." To the above the secretary of the New Zealand Bird Protection Society writes in reply. "We have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the loth instant with reference to the reported desire to obtain certain absolutely protected birds by way of exchange for some nightingales recently imported, and in reply we should' like to congratulate the Department on taking a firm stand by not authorising the exportation of absolutely protected birds. The attitude of this society is not against the release of these nightingales, now "they are here, except on or near a sanctuary for native birds, but it does contend that the conditions of the Act should be complied with and that the Department should have been first consulted before shipping the birds. Enough damage has already/ been done to New Zealand in an endeavour to make this country a replica of England by people who do not realise the complexity of wild life matters. As it is, we can only sympathise with the Department, who were placed in the unenviable position of either ordering the destruction of four charming birds or of overlooking the discourtesy shown in the '■ endeavour to usurp the functions of the Department. We are communicatiiu; with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in England soliciting their, co-opera-tion and assistance in the prevention of the destruction of birds in such unwise attempts as the constant repetition of endeavours to acclimatise birds of migratory habits. This is, we understand, the third attempt at least to acclimatise nightingales, and no doubt the Department could have informed those desirous of having another try that further attempts were not advisable, had they been consulted before shipping. Thanking you for your information and courtesy in this matter."