BUSH AND BIRD NOTES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 14 November 1934, Page 3

BUSH AND BIRD NOTES

INFANTS THAT COMMIT MURDER (Contributed.) Under the above heading A. H. Cbrisliolm the well-known journalist and naturalist of the “Argus” Melbourne, discusses tile problem presented by a cuckoo laying its egg in another bird's nest. When observed amongst the legitimate eluich, should tl<e finder destroy the cuckoo's egg, and thus save the lives of the lawful family, which tlie cuckoo, if hatched, will murder by throwing them out of the nest? Or should one leave Nature to take its course?

How is it, too, that the cuckoo with its eyes still shut, will find the entrance to the nest and throw its victim out of the hole, or, as sometimes happens, if it, too, rolls out how does it find its way back again. Such are th c problems placed before file reader of Mr Chisholm’s latest book “Bird Wonders of Australia” —a work which everybody should read for it is fascinating from start to finish. In each chapter the author presents some Australian bird performing some incredible feat. There is for instance the Satin Bower-bird which suffers from a. positive mania- for anything blue. Not only in his bower or recreation-hall —for it lias nothing whatever to do with a nest—decorated with objects of every kind from shells and flowers to bones, but iu cue bower the bird had contrived to secret eight blue-bags purloined from a neighbouring farm-house. Amongst other items lining the walls were ten pieces' of blue match-box, one blue cigarette packet, a blue envelope, a piece of blue string and 34 pieces of blue glass. One might almost infer that he suffered from a permanent fit of the blues. Yet his relation the Spotted Bowerbird is quite as wonderful in his cwn line, though he appears to prefer white and green objects. This does not prevent him acquiring shiny objects as the owner of a motor-car found when looking for his missing keys he found them neatly hung up on a twig at the entrance of tho bower. It is not therefore hard to believe Mr Chisholm when he tells us that these highly intelligent birds actually mix paints and decorate their bowers with what colours they can obtain, smearing the mixture on by means of their beaks, though one man asserts he actually saw one using bark as a brush. No wonder these Bower-birds are called the most cultured birds in the world.

Beautiful illustrations accompany the letter-press. There is one oi a. honeyeater much like our bellbird, stealing hair from a lady’s head to use in his nest. A relic of the time when these birds removed the hair from marsupials for that purpose. Another charming photograph is that of a dainty nest da cod beside th a home of savage wasps for the protection these insects afford. Yet another picture illustrates the nest of a certain bird decorated with tile snake-skins it has destroyed.

In a chapter entitled “very strange voices” Mr Chisholm explains that if all the weird vocalists of Australia were to give voice together the effect would be like the tower of babel, for there are birds that laugh, chuckle, groan, mew like a. cat, bark hke a dog and make noises resembling a whip being cracked, a, hammer striking wood or a man calling, to jay nothing of the owl which makes horses bolt by screeching like women being murdered. The author toils of birds that swarm like bees, that flv 2CO miles an hour and Malcolm Campbells of the Emu tribe which cover 35 miles an hour for short distances. Altogether this book, which is to be seen at the Nelson Public Library is one of the best that lias appeared for some lime. QUEER RELATIONS OF BIRDS AMP INSECTS The fact that birds and insects work in one with the other for mutual good is well emphasised in Mr Chisholm’s hook. He tells for instance of a rare parrot which nests in the nesting sites of termite ants. Within these dark precincts exist small insects which live on the parrots’ waste and in return clean their feet and feathers, eventually emerging into the world ns a small moth. Miss Evelyn Cheesoinan recently uiscoveted a particular kind of Ilea which exists in the burrow of certain sand-, martins, feeding on particles of refuse All the winter the larvae lie dormant, but are aroused by the scraping of the sand martin re-entering their borrows to hatch out ready (or their little friends’ return

Tile intricate cycle of life is revealed by the life history of certain parasitic flies whose gribs live qn young birds and are in turn eaten by wasp grubs which ai’e preyed upon by moth grubs. The cycle is completed by adult birds snapping up the moths to feed their nestlings. It is stated that starlings in Australia have a peculiar habit of picking up ants to place under their wings and it is suggested that this procedure is for the purpose of inducing formic acid with a view to destroying existing parasites. Mr Chisholm in his book states that lie consulted all the British text hooks to see if they refer to such a habit amongst starlings in Briain, but finding no evidence, he believes it to be a l.abit- formed i 1 Australia.

Such, however, is not the case for this peculiar habit was observed by a man in Essex during the War, who believed it to be an indication that they were preparing to migrate and were securing food to take with them, seeing that it was a regular habit. It is hard to know which theory is correct, but whatever may he the solution the habit is a. very curious one. Have any readers observed the same n New Zealand.' SUNSPOTS WHICH AFFECT MIGRATION In the latest number of the 'Emu” appears a report of a pamphlet edited by the Assistant Director of the Don inion Observatory, Ottawa, referrijijs to a series of records upon the arrival of certain migrants in Franco from 1748 to 1869. Notes upon the atmospheric pressure, amount of rainfall and days of rain, hail, snow and thunder being included in the series. The conclusions obtained went to prove that birds were affected by a sunspot maximum with heavy rainfall, making them later in arrival than when the minimum sunspot date fell in the sprint: bringing less rain and liner weal her. U •"'o*l,l be interesting to know whether similar causes affect the arrival ol the Shilling Cuckoo Rain certainly affects our native birds and retards their nest building; but though certain species nest in October (lie majority ehoe.se November or Intel tor rearing their young. Some however are very lato and can he found with young in January and that New Zealand anomaly the Kon ureters mm winter for her brooding oi eggs, being found sitling on eggs in duly, the veiy depth of winter which in alpine conntry is especially sever?. This week in town a Tui was observed nluckiiig moss from a lawn winch he stuffed at the bno(c oi his throat until his beak was full then Hew oil to build liis nest. About 26th October Riflemen were busy comoleting their homes. This spec-

ics chooses a very small entrance into a decayed tree then painstakingly carries bit by bit pieces of moss, grass and other material to form a. wonderfully cosy home for its young. When removed from the tree (be whole structure would be about ihc size of a cocoaJiut. Whatever suitable material happens to be at band is snapped up greedily. In tho bush one little nest-builder was -ecu struggling with a long black leather. On searching the .'■■pot it had come from, the tail featuers oi that rare bird the native crow were foilin', though where the rest of hie feathers bad got to was a puzzle unless the little bird bad already removed most o! them one by one as it was quite capable ut doing.. WILL THE SWIFT VISIT NELSON THIS SUMMER ? A writer to llu> “Emu states that swifts have been seen in parts of Australia whither they have not been recorded for years. This is of interest tor the Asiatic swift visits New Zealand occasionally and Nelson is where they have been recorded. Though not related to swallows they resemble them m the air, twisting and turning as they pursue insects after the manner of bats, it is said in England that ono can foretell rain bv whether the swifts fly nigh or skim the ground according to whether the atmospheric pressure causes insects to fly high or low. In Europe swallows and swifts take their departure as soon as the warm weather comes to an end and deprives them of their r ood, but sometimes they get- taken unawares and hundreds die o' cold. It will be- remembered that not long ago numbers were collected in Germany and transported by aeroplane to Italy where the sunshine restored warmth to tliei. numbed bodies. !><.- cidedlv aviation has its advantages. _ Perhaps one of the most lovely fairy stories is that of “Thumbellina” who was forced to marry a mole and lcside deep down iu the cold earth, where she found a stiff swallow which she thawed. Like all fairy stories the end was a happy one for in gratitude the bird transported her away to a land of sunshine and lovely flowers, where she found a prince of her own size lurking behind a petal. BUSH AND BIRD COMPETITION The 1934 competition for the Bush and Bird Preservation Society s Shield is about to close and already several books have been forwarded to the secretary. Entries up to date included those from Neudorf, Dovedale, llavekcke, Tiroroa (Westport), Pigeon Valiev, ' Motueka, Motupiko Orinoco, Hamama, Pokororo, Kiknva, Win s V alley. all of which will be returned to their owners after judging.