Here, There and Everywhere

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23861, 11 January 1941, Page 3 (Supplement)

Here, There and Everywhere

Kingfishers rpiEl'E by the side of the stream, two busy kingfishers made their Utile home. It was burrowed into the bank side wii h t heir l-'ei and bills. and wawell di-guis"d from intruders because

- a iriuiiatl. I>v .loan Kkiaaa. of the ovrhanging grasses. Soon Mrs Kingfisher laid eight while eggs, when Hiev were hidden in the burrow. Mr. Kingfisher w niches on the brink of tin ..tream for hi- dinner, while his will keep- the eggs warm.

Extracts from Boys* and Girls Descriptive Essays

As soon as the family are old enough thov separate, each one selecting hiown portion of the stream where fish are plentiful. Not only do they teed on (isii. but inseets, lizards and tlies. Mr. anu Mrs. Kingfisher continue living there, but later a new home will be enlist ructod elsewhere. Is not the kingfisher an interesting bird'r -- Oritpiuil, b.\ I!father Brodie (I'-l). Sunset O'er the Hills V I!A N K of rich, red clouds edged the western liori'/.on. and a lirigiit gold lii'sli -wept up across the sky; o\er on the eastern side a rainbow-lined range of rolling mountains was refitted in the lake in a hundred shades; a thin (olumu of smoke from a dust-heap rose -traitiht in the air, and iwo eows lazily browsed while the grass was yet dry. ,\t last the golden flush blended gracefully with the red into a colour wlndi onlv Nature's brushes cotdd mix. and the mountains reiimieished their rainhow hue for the -ombre shades of twilight . Original, by Ih'lott Rankin (If!). M.B.'t.

Music in Nature (")H! to hoar the thousand and one different sounds made by Nature s minstrels. There are thousand.-, and us i sit here mi a bank this fine morning I shall try to tell you ot the musical sounds 1 hear. 1 was watching the puffy white clouds drift lazily by, and looking at the faneiful designs they were making. when suddenly the valley seemed to come to life. The drowsy noise of the humming bees in clover, daisy, penny royal and buttercup (loners first attracted my attention, and tit" snlt wind gently rustling the waving graces and tall. ma ii'si ic trees. Ihe i ant ads were i wittering and flirting fascinatingly at the

edge of the bu-h. and the white-collared tui sent forth its pure notes ot melody which floated into the drowsy air trom a tall vellow kowhai. Ibe trickling ot a merr'v stream bubbling gaily along >e ellled 'to lie laughing at the world. Cicadas and crickets added their numerous chirps. clicking noises and whistles to the hubbub, and the frisky lambs from a near by hill maa-eii plaintively as they lost their mothers. Tlie gentle patter of a cooling shower of rain and palter ot dried leaves falling down a tree seem to be musical sounds, but nest time you go to the hush lie down quietly and sv how many musical sounds Natures minstrels make. , . j —Original, by Hill Mosking" (11). At the Seaside AVE started early one fine morning along the w bite pumice road. Soon „e were at the glennnng white lake oi ll,noma. We travelled on. When we reached Whakatane. we motored two miles. We wen I up a sleep hill from which we could see the breakers dashing up the silver shore. When we arrived at the bottom ot the hill, out ol :he ear we jumped m a ureal hem. Snatching our togs we were soon swimming in the wluteioanied breakers. Salt water tclt diHerein from fresh water \ iew bout's later \vc ate a retreshing lunch of ham -a mlw iclies, ginger beer and frui' cake. Then. ha\ iug had a -t roll and an ice cream we went home tired but bappy. - Original, by I'elrr Bow den yS). Peace \S I stood on i lie brink of the el ill' 1 looked before me and as far as the eve could see was the blue, light-hearted sea, dancing gracefully to the rhythm of the breeze's soft music. Floating lazily here and there on the waters were boats which looked like stately snow-white swans. The only sound to break the stillness was the merry trilling ot' M\eol-wiieed birds. .All was peaceful | —Original, by Kutb Bryan ill).