NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 21822, 11 September 1934, Page 1

NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB

SATURDAY'S OUTIRfI % On Saturday afternoon members of the club were entertained at the home of Mr John Black, Anderson's Bay. In spite of the heavy rain in the early part of the afternoon some thirty members took the opportunity of seeing Mr Black’s wonderful collection of birds. Luckily the rain held off during the visit. Mr Black first Jed the way to the duck pond, where ■ Canadian and other brightly-plumaged geese were very much at home, and which also provided sanctuary to a number of '.wiki waterfowl. Wild ducks were not at all disturbed by the visitors, and several flew down and settled while they were there. That these birds have every confidence in the owner of the property is shown by their nesting freely, and a mother ■ and her half-dozen ducklings, only a week old, were running round not. the least afraid. The. party then visited the pigeon-houses, where'a large number of different species were exhibited. These houses also held a number of exotic pheasants, the cock birds being in splendid plumage, ■ and called forth many expressions of admiration from the lady members. They then inspected the aviaries, a most artistic group of buildings that face the sun and provide ample shelter and flying room for the , host of small foreign finches and other birds that they contain. One could not help being struck by the brilliant colouring of many of these. The time was all too short to see everything. Some of the birds were already nesting, and an object of great interest to ml was a weaver’s nest, built of straw, all interlaced and woven together in a marvellous manner. Several nests of young budgerigars created no little enthusiasm, and amusement. Second only to the pheasants, numerous members of the parrot tribe attracted much attention on* account of their striking and vivid plumage.. With their live* trees and sanded floors and innumerable feathered inmates these aviaries are a most attractive feature.

After being shown round the garden, Mr and Mrs Black provided afternoon tea. On behalf, of the Field Club, Dr Watt thanked the host and hostess for their kindness and generosity. He said that in spite of the weather the afternoon had been most enjoyable for all present. INDOOR MEETING At the indoor meeting, Mr Neale gave an interesting lecture, entitled ‘ The Maori and the Native Flora.’ One of the chief food plants, the lecturer said, was the kumara, which, along with, the taro, the gourd, and the paper mulberry, was introduced by the Maori from his former home. It was widely, cultivated in the North island, and usually several plots weae planted in - different places so that if one failed there was a chance of the others being fruitful. As the crop approached ripening a few tubers were removed from each plant and carefully dried. These had a special flavour, and were used in making a sweet beverage for chiefs and visitors of distinction. To prevent rats from stealing the ripening kumaras long lines of flax, with clusters of shells tied on , here and there, were laid across the ground, their ends being gathered together in the whare, and it was the duty of the old men to jerk these lines periodically, so frightening away the rats. The kumara was the food of peace-lov-ing men, whereas fierce battle-loving men lived mainly on fern root. The bracken fern grew plentifully in loamy soil, and needed no cultivation. The dried root was softened in water, roasted in the fire, and pounded witlr a wooden beater to extract the fibre. The edible part was kneaded into cakes and 6aten. The poro-poro (Solanum aviculare) was occasionally planted near the villages, but was classed as “ kai tamariki,” or children’s food. One of the cordylinea with a long white root full of saccharine was planted in the North Island and used for food. Fungi were eaten hut only when other food was scarce. Some the Maori had found were poisonous unless properly cooked. A kind of bread was made from the flesh of hinau berries and from the pollen of the raupo or hullrush. The kernels.of karaka fruit, the juice of the tutu berries, and the konini or fruit of the fuchsia were commonly used, and sometimes supplejack berries, miro, totara, rimu, and raaire fruits. Children made a sweet drink from the nectar of flax flowers. The chief fibre used by the Maori was flax, but for ropes and coarse mats nbhonwood or cabbage tree _ fibre was used, for lashing heavy, objects forest vines of many kinds were used, sucii as rata and supplejack. The Maori knew the medicinal value of many native trees, and used-them, in cases of insect bites, burns, toothache, and other troubles. Dyeing was a process given much consideration. An intense black dye oreatly prized, was made troni the’bark of the hinau. A brown dya was obtained from the celery pine, and a vellow dye from coprosma. The Maori knew the best trees to select for_ canoe* and prized other trees for their oils, gums, or perfumes. At the conclusion of the address th* speaker was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. ■