NATURE STUDY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 8 November 1924, Page 16

NATURE STUDY.

NOTES AND COMMENTS,

(“Hori. ’ ’) A new kowhai is reported by Mrs W. A. Limbriek, of Manaia, wlio takes a very keen interest in native flora. The new variety is a pink in colour, like an iv}' geranium, shaded, and has rather finer leaves than the yellow. It was round in the Waikato, and seed was brought down to Manaia, where it was germinated. v She has now several plants growing well. On referring to the late Mr Cheeseman, he said it was a new variety, and that if it came true to type she would have the privilege of naming the variety. This has been proved, and she has called it “Rossi.” after the name of the owner of the farm on which it was found.

Still further evidence comes to hand of the persistent methods of the starlings to build their nests in queer situations, notwithstanding the many rebuffs they receive by owners of the property on which they trespass. The writer was informed that in the rural districts they have a great liking for building their nests in the mail boxes in many parts of the district. The informant mentions that no fewer than nine, or ten different letter boxes were selected by these energetic birds for building purposes. One particularly glaring case is .recorded of a starling which seemed determined not to be easily thwarted in her efforts to bring out a brood of young birds. This particular bird had laid in the nest one egg. This was taken away, but it did not deter her from still continuing her efforts. Not until about eight or nine eggs had been laid, and which were eaeh time removed, did the bird “throw up the sponge.”

It is said that the starling mates for life, and this certainly seems to be the case, as the .writer is quite sure that a pair of these birds built each season for a number of years under the eaves of a certain house. Finally, when repairs were being effected to the dwelling, there was disclosed a veritable stack of hay, straw, and other building ma terial on top of the ceiling. It also served to show how easily a fire might have been started had a rat, for instance, got hold of a wax vesta and ignited it amongst the contents of this huge accumulation of inflammable material.

Much good work has been done during the planting season at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, and amongst other improvements effected was the planting of an aVenue of kauri, rimu and totara. A large number of pine trese that were considered unnecessary have been cut out and native trees planted in their place. Mr Thomas Horton, the well-known nurseryman, is now in charge, and the park should benefit bv his wide experience.

The work of emptying the lake at East End Park, Hawera, has been successfuly undertaken, the water being carried over the top of the road by means of a syphon. The emptying of the dam has revealed a large accumulation of rubbish. When this is cleared out and the. basin refilled the appearance of the park should be much improved. Most of the trees so far are doing fairly well, and the tree ferns are throwing out new fronds. The caretaker of Pukekura Park, New Plymouth. has promised to supply some of the beautiful white lilies which grow on the lake in New Plymouth after the flowering season is over. These will be placed in one of the small lakelets in the East End Park.

A few weeks ago the Okaiawa correspondent of the Star in his notes referred to the fact that the bush of today was all too silent, owing to the absence of so many of the native bird 3 that used to be so numerous in days gone by. In reading this paragraph another thought occurred to the writer that one nowadays also misses the once familiar cicada, called by some a locust cr eraker. On a bright sunny div these insects used to make a great noise, singing nearly all day long. The cicada produces the peculiar noise b’ means of a cymbal in a cavity behind the wings. It is gifted by very clear sight, and is supposed to have five eyes, but has been proved to be deaf, according to the opinion of Fabre, the great naturalist. The cause of the disappearance of the cicada is attributed to the increase in numbers of imported birds, such as the thrush and blackbird.

Shellback snails are very plentiful th : s year, owing no doubt to the mild winter experienced. A severe w'nter has a tendency to destroy the eggs of this pest. ’ Though the thrush does hami in the orchards and gardens, it destroys la-ge number of snails, and it is qu'te interesting to watch these birds eating snails. Thev carry them in their mouths and drop them on a stone or anything hard in order to crack the shell. When this is accomplished the b : rds eagerly devour the contents. Thev thus do a great amount of good in this wav.

Reports come to hand from the South Island of the fac-t that this year the little grey warbler is somewhat more plentiful. * It is conjectured that this is, attributable to the very, few cuckoos seen last season. As is generally known these migratory birds, who are sunposed to come from Siberia and the South S»?a Islands in the spring, act as pirates on the little grey warbler l.” commandeering their nests for hatching out their eggs. They are said to lay their eggs on the ground and carrv them in their mouths to the warbler’s nest, pushing out the little bird’s eggs if the nest happens to contain any. The rightful owner of the nest does not appear to take umbrage over this piratical act on the part of the cuckoo, and calmly submites to the task of sitting on the visitor’s big eggs. Why the cuckoo does not build a nest of its own is somewhat unexplainable, but it is contended that it has not tine to carry out that task, or else is of an indolent character. Its action, in anv case, lias been the means of restricting the numbers of these interesting little native birds of New Zealand, and no great loss would be felt if the cuckoo selected some other country for its migratory visits.

During recent years the chamois ini ported into New Zealand through the influence of the late Emperor of Austria have increased in numbers in the Hector and Tasman Valleys of Mt. Cook, and are frequently seen by climbers and tourists who visit,the mountain huts. There is evidence that they are spreading to other parts, and have actuallv crossed the main slopes of Mt. Moltke. and footprints of four more were seen on Bird range behind the Aimer Glacier. This is an indication that the chamois liberated at the; Hermitage some years ago are spreading and establishing themselves over a wide area.

A Wanganui apiarist states that on a board in front of one of his hives a small pool of water had collected, and in this a bee that had been out foraging got partly immersed. The insect turned oyer on its back and was helpless. Its plight was noticed by another bee. which immediately waded in and turned its companion over and helped it out.

Palmerston North hospital grounds give an object lesson in native treeplanting for street and other ornamental shelter. Most prominently just now the ngaio shows its suitability for the purpose. The variety happens to be that from Australia, which is essentially the. same as our own, but showing the effects of climatic influences, blooms grouped along the stem instead of being scattered, softer wood, and branching from the ground. The more it is cut back the more shapely- it grows. The ngaio makes an ideal street tree.

Poossibly the rarest wild plant in the ! world is a. curious small tree (pittosporum obeordatum) which was discovered by the famous naturalist Raoul in 1840, when he visited Akaroa as botanist to the. French expedition in that year. The peculiar thing about this plant is that consequent efforts to find any on Banks Peninsula failed, and it was thought to be extinct. In recent years it was rediscovered, however, at Kaitaia, North Auckland. Most of the trees in this district had been destroyed and there are very few left. As far as is known, this is the only place in the world where it grows.

A correspondent, who remarks thatone seldom sees the waratah blooming in the open at Dunedin, writes to the Otago Daily Times to say that there is a tree of this species in Nairn street. Ivaikorai, about 12 feet high, which at' present is covered with magnificent red blooms on the tip of every branch. Very fine blooms of this beautiful Australian tree are to be seen every year on a tree growing in the garden of Mr Chas. Gcodson, of Hawera.

As recorded in the telegrams this week, the reported cases in the Ohakune district of the depredations of stoats arid weasels in killing a number of lambs on the property of two settlers in that district have turned put to be the work of dogs. Mr Munro, a stock inspector from Wanganui, was sent to investigate the matter, and. he reporteAthat on examination of, a skin a eondifflim was at once revealed) which made it quite obvious that stoats, weasels or ferrets could not possibly be held responsible for the damage done, and it was quite apparent that the culprit was a dog qf the larger type, a collie or a pig dog. JThe owners of the sheep are now quite satisfied, too, that'dogs have been the cause of the trouble.

In turning over some papers recently I came upon a note written for The Australasian more than 30 years ago (says the writer of Nature Notes in The Australasian), and it may be worth repeating just to show what happened in the bad old days, which are so often called “good.” “Hanging in a Swanston street (Melbourne) game shop a few days ago were six splendid bittern. The pity of it —for is it not a pity that these beautiful birds should have no greater worth than to decomte the front of a city fish shop? They were not game, were not eaten, so I suppose they were thrown into, the dust cart when they had. fulfilled their purpose of. satisfying the curious. need be no dread of the bittern becoming a nuisance—indeed, every year it becomes more scarce, and, like the Pacific heron, the night heron, and beautiful white egret., is doomed to slow but sure extinction unless the authorities intervene. All these birds live on the life of the swamp, saving more fish than they destroy in clearing out the feeders upon fish spawn. When they go our inland waters will have lost some of their charm.” The authorities did intervene, but not for many a year afterwards, and almost every day one saw such birds as herons, ibis and egrets festooned along the front of Jenkins’ game shop. It is not. an exaggeration to say that if one. had kept a tally of the birds sent to that one >shop wholly for display the total would have run into thousands in the year. They shot more wildly than wisely in the “good old days. ” ?

Ifike the Australian bittern the New Zealand variety has now become almost extinct, espec : ally in these parts. At one time these birds used to frequent “The Lakes.” near Hawera, and it is a pity it was not then protected, as a good few were shot. They are a very large bird and make a peculiar noise, which has been called the “booming of the bitte:n. ” CREEKS. (By Bernice May in the Australasian.) All little creeks are lovely when recalled After long absences to memory— That first green creek, where sarsaparilla sprawled Along the banks moss strewn for you and rne. Fern creek was fairest in the summer time, Bracken and maiden hair we gathered there; Now you are lying in a foreign clime. And silver strands are in my soft brown hair. And once we kissed beside a little creek They called it Watercress. The water sang . Among the cress we plucked. I could not speak, My heart to your’s that day so swiftly sprang. Then there was Rainbow Creek, all jewelled lights At sunset hour where leaves like

fairly boats About it drifted. Ah! forgotten nights! Lost childhood on that creek now softly floats.

Crab Creek we named ourselves my birthdav eve When I—have you forgot?—was seventeen. By Gum Tree Creek we made our home. I grieve For all the thronging years cf doubt between.

Young Bertie died at Tea-tree Creek. Ah me! How memory hurts my heart the while I mark Each little creek go singing tenderly Through sun and shade, through moonlit nights and dark! Blue creeks, and silver creeks, and muddy creeks — Creeks full of fish, of eels, of snakes, of fern— I’d give them all for one Dream Creek that speaks Of everlasting peace for which I yearn.