BIRD-CATCHING TREE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21250, 2 August 1932, Page 6

BIRD-CATCHING TREE

HUNDREDS OF VICTIMS TRAPPED MOREPORK DIES GUM EJECTED FROM SEED PODS ______ ' ''' ~S*>: .. [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] NEW PLYMOUTH, Monday A strange tree in the garden of Mr. J. Wheeler, of New Plymouth, which traps birds, has just killed a morepork, the largest hird it is believed that has ever been caught in the tree, which is commonly known as the parapara. The tree bears the botanical name of "pisonia brunoniana" and is known by jthe Maoris as a bird-catching tree. Ifc i s a native of the northernmost parts of New Zealand and some of the South Sea Islands. Mr. Wheeler obtained his specimen from the Great Barrier Island. The tree is about 15ft. high. , The method by which the birds die is one of the cruellest possible. The seed of the tree, about an inch to one and a-half inches long, io covered with a heavy gum. The seeds grow in clusters of from 15 to 20. The bird flies into the tree and its feathers come into contact with the seed pods and it is held fast. Often a bird will struggle and get away from the tree. The joints of the seed pod are very brittle and a bird never escapes without the pod attached to whatever part of it came into contact. As the bird struggles, the pods stretch and jets of fine gum are exuded. Although the bird cannot fly properly, it»generally can get some distance away before being overcome by exhaustion. Then it. dies and, as the body decomposes, the seed germinate. The tree has caught hundreds of 2,ma1l birds. The morepork was caught and died in the t/ree. Ifc had apparently gone to the tree to feed on the smaller birds which were hanging there.