NATURE AND MAN

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12905, 4 July 1936, Page 12

NATURE AND MAN

CiIARAI. OU “TtJTIRA”

A IT ELBEU L P BILOSOPHER

(Edited by Leo Fanning)

Recent, references In IL Outline' Smith’s famous book “Tutira R story of his sheep stfit on in j} a v—must have marie nian> - Zealanders eager to have «n opportunity to read the volume. • 1 ’ho chance comes, their interest in 1 - H chronicle—which is distinctly * l “human document” —will exceed expectation. A NOTE ON THE COAT Dismayed by the quick spreading of blackberry which is snatching huge areas of land from man’s holding in New Zealand—Mr. Outline-Smith summoned the goat, to his aid, hut. ho had to rue the ravages of the omnivorous animal ol other plants. “The establishment of tlie go Us he wrote, “means, on fact, that, except on actual cliffs and precipices, all herbaceous growth on the station is doomed: not a seedling tree escape., no covert remains for native birds, not a sapling but is ringed, clipped, or barked as bare as ivory.” Settlers on the foothills of Ait. Fginont had similar recourse to goats in the war of blackberry. If was a disastrous expedient, for many of tm* animals moved on to the native forest on'the mountain, where they are a terrible nuisance. It. is beyond the power of nianey to measure, the destruction which they will cause if they arc not■ chocked. NATIVE BIRDS AND ALIENS Mr. G iithrio-kmith’s observation does not support the old assertion that native birds are unable to compete with alien breeds in regard to food-supply. ''The bird life of the fore it reserves of Tutira dors not support til's theory.” he remarks. “Natives are noiih.r debarred iron, their fair share, of food, nor intimidated by the presence of the yellowhammer. chaffinch, greenfinch, blackbird, and thrush, tlie Pa mail, the wax eye, warbler, pied tit. kingfisher, mi, and pigeon living together amicably. Native species, with perhaps the- exception of tlie pigeon, lay the same number of eggs, breed as often per season, and rear : as many nestlings as in the ‘eighties, when few aliens had reached the station, when none were abundant. Food has proved ■ample for both stranger and native.”

IN DEFENCE OF THE AIOREPORX

Here is a good word tor the morepork in “Tutira”:—“Tlie more-pork has conformed io tlie requirements .of civilisation, lias become, indeed, a somi-dotnesi irat.'rl bird, one or two pair living permanently in the vicinity of the hotnest ?ad. Such residenters are attracted, especially during whiter-time, by the influx of sparrows rats and mice. Indeed, from merely utiinteiriau point of view, the morepot k is a useful ally to settlers, and when better known is likely to he ex set purpose projected and encouraged. Though in great degree his ancient nest ng places, holes -n tree?, have her:, ■! imy.'-!, yet lik » the king fish c-r no iris a lop ted liim-eif to novel eondiiicus; on Tutira tin’s small owl now chiefly breeds in dry cliff crannies. AYith habitations in the everlasting hills, and with an enormously increased food-supply the morepork is safe.’’ One deduces from Air. GuthrieSmith’s comments that native pigeons could thrive in many localities—apart irom the bush—if mankind would give, them fair play. “This lmrdv bird,” lie says, "can, I believe digest almost anything green. I have known them devour immature nia’e p.uus insign ns flowers ; I have watched them nibbling the dry fronds of :,.s----pkntium flaccidum, and strippling one by one the leaves of laburnums. 'I iicy also food freely on "Mute clover leaves ■ on fallen forest, newly sown,, l have known them grow excessively fat on rape and turnip shaws. Local survivors in the future are likely to obtain, a portion of their food during at Fast a portion of t lie year on the surface of the mu. They will take toll ol the setil.rs" white clover, ynpc, swedes, and probably oafs, to the '■alue of few pence per annum.*' GOOD USE OF LEISURE A aliens uriteis am! speakers are wondering whether average men ana women will he able to make good use of the leisure promised by recent legislation. “Surely in the future,” wrote Air. Guthrie-Smitli nearly twenty years ago, “Wo say anticipate that a sufficiency of leisure will ha tlie birth light of every man. ]f that ho so, on.? step—and a longthly step —towards a rational content ami wholesome happiness will I’e in nature study. 1 do not mean, the ability to systematise and classify—l mean the watchfulness that will awake in the •' Indent, fellowship, humour, and svm pal by. “So far the best that has been done towards the conservation of species is hut negative. At the best, man has here and there been content not to destroy utterly. AVhat is required is positive work, the elimination of vermin and parasites, the study and angmncntalinn of special supplier- <>t food, the careful reservation of nesting accommodation.” TUTS PLAY “TAG” Some species of birds are. remarkably. fond of play. It is nut a ease of thoughtless response to on instinctive iirgh. The frolic is deliberate. Indeed Jj seems to lie. organised some times. Anybody who lias watched kcas of; play will admit, at once that they naturally delight in practical jukes. A friend of mine declares that fuis have their games. “J n the Tntth wen Tan Valley," j Je K}) ys “] saw about twenty tuis chasing one another in and out of a Hump of hush. Jt. looko dliko a same of Tag’ or follow--the-lrader. t Evidently they Were enjoying the exercise, for they made a merry din. They were like happy school-boys suddenly released on a holiday.” ' Folk qn a farm at the foot of the Triruruas, Wellington Province, complain that magpies, which have bc-

come numerous in that locality, nro worrying native birds. The'alien* make savage onsets and kill mapM. tho smaller natives . Similar charges against the magpi 0 hnvo come from other districts. Th e time has coma lor the Department of Interna! Affairs o malco a thorough inquiry into tho ui nts of this Australian bully, which is so intolerant of other bird-life. Iff is a wonderful warbler, but these carwould not compensate for the* x vtiling of native birds and a restrict* J Hg their nesting opportunities itty&j «™ P lac es . .‘'l