IN TOUCH WITH NATURE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15603, 5 November 1912, Page 2

IN TOUCH WITH NATURE.

NOTES ON NATURAL HISTORY IN

NEW ZEALAND.

(Bi Jamks DnumuMiD, F.L.S., F.Z.SJ

A ooowspondemt baa written asking mo if Wcro is may record of tpiuuns with more than lour pairs of legs. It is 74 yews smco James Eignte, an Auierican naturalisi mid explorer, lirst uuuoutx-td tnat, wiiilo away down in tho South Orkney*, hcslt tho Antarctic Circle, wuih ol South America, ho ,'iad discovered a eua spider with five pair* of legs. His work was lost for a long time, and when it was brought under notioo again modern zoologists gave rt a cool roceptioii. Thousinds of tspecics of spiders, belonging to Uw land, die sea, and tho shore, had bean recorded, but no spider lud over been known to have more tluui lour pairs of legs, and there was a refusal to believe tiut oven a sea-spider, which might he allowed to have some eccentricities, had an extra pair. Ten yeaie ago, howiver, Mr T. V. Hodgson, biologist in Captain R. J. SavU's iirst Antarctic expedition, found several specimens of these muchlegged spiders near M'Munlo Sound, wliero Captii.i Scort lias his present winter quartern, and ho at onoc established tho aiithfinticiby of Eighths discovery, Thtso erfcitures liave now been found by Dr Brace's Scottish expedition, also at tho South Orknr-ys, and by Mr D. G. Lillic, biolog.*t of Captain Scott's picsent espedition, again on tlio M'Murdo Sound side. Ton-legged sw-spidons, indeed, have ceased to be things ot wonder. They aro sometimes found at groat depths, and aro brought to the surface in the biologist's trawls. Thoy have slender bodies, about two inches long, and their sprawling legs, whioh give them a typically spidery appearance, are about three inches long. Some sea-spiders, with tho normal number of legs, havo been brought up in difforent pants of tho world, from 1600 fathoms and more. The conditions of lifo in tho abysses of tho sea, apparently, do not havo a dwarfing effect, as several specimens of these spiders aro very large. One species, named " Oolossendeis oigas," covers a spin of nearly two feet from toe to too. LiUlo is known of the habits of sea-spiders. None hw been known to possfcM tlio art of -wimming, and all crawl slowly amongst branches of seaweed, where they llnd other creatures to prey upon. As far as appearances go, thev aro just as ferocious and repulsive as their kinsmen on tho land.

Ifr L. 0. H. Tripp, of Wellington, who is iiku.tj an activo part in protesting against the outlawry of tho opossum in New Zca ; land, aifoNiK me tltat he intends to place ths case More tho Minister of Internal Affairs again. lie has petitions signed by settlers and other people in different parts of New Zealand, ndcrng that the opossum should bo protected during certain months of the year, at leatt. Dr liutler, Chief Secretary of the Tasmanian Government, has

t.p hI .Mr Tr?pp with information show•'isg that in Tasmania the opossum receives o (I deal of protection. There is a closo season, for instaico, from August 1 to May 1 every year. During tltat reason no "pniwm is allowed to hunt or sell an nrtvwim or liavo ono in his control or tvpsefsion, alive or. dead, or oven a skin, on his own land or elsewhere. Thero is a reservation to this clause, providing that opossums may lie killed during the close season for the bona fide protection of crops, but the skins becomo tno property of the Crown. Besides those restrictions, there is a regulation preventing any person from hunting opossums on Crown lands withrn a year from May 19, 1912. Dr Butler adds that in Tasmania tlio best black skins are worth 20s, rod and brown skins 15s, and grey skins 7s. The best skiim aro obtained at the beginning of winter, and Mr Tripp suggests that May, Juno, and July would be ilw proper months for the open season in New Zealand. Ho points out that, as there are many black opossums in this dominion, a large and important industry would bo established if these animals received a measure of protection, which, while checking anything in tho nntnro of a post, gave them a fair c'lianoo to increase.

I Mr Tripo, in his letter. encloses a stateniont by Professor Flynn. of Ilobart, showing that oven with the protection given to opossums in Tasmania their iiosilion in tho State is sorionslv endangered. It is est)mntod thiit nearly three-quarters of n million marsupials wero killed i" the State last year for their skins One hundred thousand of those, wore opossums. The open season is in the winter months, and it is in tho winter months, that broeJinir takes place. Of the 100,000, about 50,000, probably, wero ■fomalcs, and each female, perhaps, had a young 0110 in its pouch in the killing season. TJio Jaw, therefore, allows tho destruction of tho progeny as well as of tho adults, and tho three moiitlis of local destruction may lead to tlie extermination of tno opossum m Tasmania. Apparently there are no officers in Tasmania to seo that the closo season is observed, and the destruction may be much greater than Professor Flyim's figures show, in New Zealand tho Government has withdrawn ull protection from the opossum, and unless Mr Tripp is successful in inducing tho Minister to reconsider tho case, and to pass a more lenient sentence, the creatures chances of survival hero, sown to bo very poor.

\ latch of notes has come to hand giving further aiiiwunciviicnis of the arrival o tins shining cuckoo, and a few particulars of themigrant's habits. Mr 11. U. Devereanx. of Wailn, heard it at nitflil on September <!b. and Mr W. W. Smith reports tho first noes this season iu Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, on October 2. On the latter date Mr 11. M. lteckell heard one at Awakino. about 60 miles northeast of Now Plymouth, and on Octolwr 4 'ho 'ward three. Ho writes: " 1 am situated between the Mokau and Awakino Rivers, about 10 miles rem tho sea. Last your I »whoro more longtailed cuckoos than I hud seen pwwoudv n tho 42 years of my life in New Zealand. Mr (J. Turner hoard a slunim; cuckoo whistling at Whaligamoa, Ncson, at 9 p.m. o, 0 "ber 2, and Mr H. F. Purncll report, "t from Tabcke, Hokianga, on September 1.

From Tokaami. Uko Taupo, Mr F. WyEi write.:-" For several yc»w I have noticed tho appearance of om- friend lo Kiwi". October ?laet-the first rco'ly beautiful day wo had had for some time—l heard tho well-known whistle, but did not see tho visitor. Later in tho day, however. I raw it sitting on the top of a treo and loudly announcing the coming of spring." Mr \V. Mountiield reports the bird's first appearance at Tauranga, in tho Hay of Plenty, on October 1. Mr ,1. Geary writes from itiverton, Southland: "I hoard tho firat cuckoo of tho season at 10 p.m. on October 10. From the short sharp whistle I took it for tho shining species. It was travelling from cast to west, following the southern coastline. Last year, on October 13. I noticed tho first long-tailed cuckoo; it came from the same point and followed the same course. Evidently thifi bird was going further west, towards the West Coast. l' havo not hoard it this year in nty immediate locality, on the edge of the forest which clothes tho souih coast, and which, during tho season, is usually frequented by these interesting birds. 1 havo seen many a pitched Kittle between a lonp-t.iikd cuckoo anil a tiii, the latter, apparently, always being victorious."

Mr A. C. Yarlwrough, of Kohukoltu, in tlio Hokianga district, hits supplied dates of the shining cuckoo's first arrival in his district, with dates showing that in most rases a fow days previously tho weather came from tho north—tho direction from which the migrant also came. It would bo intercsting to know if the visits to other parts of tho dominion arc- aW> made eoon after northerly winds havo been notod. The dates are:— When Northerly Year. heard. weather. I.W .. October E October 2 1909 ... October 2 Octolier 1 1910 ... September 26 September 18 1911 . .September 72. September 19 1912 ... August 15 August H 1912 ... ."optemlw 30 September 28 It is exp'aincd that the visit on August 15 was recorded bv Mr J. Shapland, of Mangamuka. aliout 12 miles from Kohukolni. Mrs A. M. Leegctt. of Wharokopae, (iisborne. writes: '"The shining cuckoo rnado it 6 first appearance hon> litis year on Ootolwr 3. about a week later titan !;u?t war. Wo have lived in this district, which is high, bush country, 40 miles from (iisborne, lor nearly sown years, and during that time tiio earliest date on which we have heard the cuckoo was September 10. It hai arrival most frequently during the last week in September. Wo shall look forward with interest to roadinj your jinmial rcmort of dates on which it arrives in other parts of New Zealand."