Maori Nature Notes

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7242, 13 June 1930, Page 8

Maori Nature Notes

(Specially written for the ‘ ‘Manawatu Daily Tunes”) [Copyright o.H.Ki.] TAU-lIOU (the stranger, or newcomer) awsn’t belong here. After a neavy western gaie one line morning in iNuvemuer ibob. he came in a huge uignt, uesciioed as ••millions” to tne South Island, where countless numbers died or exhaustion just alter tneir landing. Pronabiy many more perished tvi the thousand miie Uigilt iroui nis native naoitat Australia. On tnat single night they must Lave averaged nearly 30 miles an hour for over 30 hours. Now he Is known irom Te Keinga to Otakou. The tmy olive green silver eye is mentally greeted everywhere with •‘welcome stranger,” for he has proved himself in the light with American blight, a champion. Now that this scourge has been eaten up, lie takes toll of the increase lie gave us in the choicest cherries, plums, and apples, and why not?. He is too busy finding tiny insects, or too wise to warn them, for there seems never to be a cheep or a whistle from this swiftly moving silent searcher. The dainty nest is just what we would expect from this pet. ite builder. A closely woven oval ball no bigger than the shell of a hen egg, actually laced to the twig with filmy cords of spider web, annexed after a breakfast off the weaver, who of course, had no further use for it.