NATURAL HISTORY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 970, 3 October 1890, Page 12

NATURAL HISTORY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND MAIL. Sir, — Would it be trespassing too much on your forbearance to request that you demote some small space in the New Zealand Mail to natural history. There are, I feel sure; numbers among your subscribers able and willing to write interesting and instructive articles on the subject. The birds native and acclimatised—-are deserving of special mention. Jt may not, for instance, be generally known that starlings, where trees are scaice or wholly absent, build their nests in holes in the ground. Such is, how. evor, the case in this looality. I have found their nests in old rabbit burrows. Skvlarks are very numerous ; the country is highly suitable to their habits, being open, grassy downs. Native birds are exceedingly scarce in this locality ; this is due, no doubt, to the entire absence of bush. I have observed an odd tui, kaka, morepork, tom tit, and fantail, but these only stay for a day or two and then disappear. These birds probably make the passage of Cook’s Strait. To-day, September 24th, I for the first time observed the humble-bee (two only) ; they were sipping the honey from some cabbage-flowers. They appeared strong and healthy. They no doubt have a nest not far away, whioh I will endeavour to find out.—t am, &c., Anders Hansen, Lightkeeper, Cape Campbell Lighthouse, [We shall be very pleased to receive communications giving any information on poiuta of interest in natural history.—Ed. Mail.