LUNCHEON TALK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22465, 8 July 1936, Page 5

LUNCHEON TALK

LOCAL BUSINESS GIRLS An entertaining address on "New Zealand Bird Life" was given by Mr. R. A. Falla at the fortnightly luncheon talk to the business girls of the city held in the Milne and Chovce Reception Hall yesterday. Mr. Falla was welcomed by Mr. R. Milne and introduced to the gathering. Speaking of birds in general, Mr. Falla referred to their beauty of form, their brilliant colouring and intense activity. Whereas blood heat in mammals was normal at about 98 degrees, he said, in birds it was often 103 to 104 degrees, and in birds of excessive activity, such as humming birds,_ it ranged up to 109 degrees. All birds were essentially gliders, Mr. Falla said, and man was still studying the flight of birds in order to apply the lessons to aviation. Mr. Falla concluded his address with some imitations of New Zealand birds' notes by whistling, including those of the black bird, the thrush, the tui and the bell bird. There was not a great deal of difference, he said, between the notes of the tui and the bellbird, but those of the latter were more mellow and not so forced as those of the tui.