UNIQUE SOUTH SEA BIRDS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 140, 18 May 1925, Page 5

UNIQUE SOUTH SEA BIRDS.

SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION.

SUVA, April 23. After having explored every island in the Fijian group, which is a task in itself, the American scientific yacht France sailed on Friday for tho islands of Wallis and Futuna.

Her chief, Mr R. Beck, has taken away with him a unique and complete collection of birds, many of which havo never been found before, and he also proved another peculiar thing, namely that tho same variety of birds is found in neighbouring islands with distinct differences in plumage, while on islands in between these again are varying varieties, so that one variety will be found on islands say, Nos. 1 and 3, while in between the same variety will have very distinct markings, which are difficult to account for.

11l Taveuni, by climbing the mountains to a belt hitherto seldom or ever visited, Mr Beck found a veritable bird land, the bush resounding with the songs of many beautiful birds, which even the old residents of Tavouni never dreamed existed.