IN TOUCH WITH NATURE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21646, 17 May 1932, Page 2

IN TOUCH WITH NATURE

THE PUKEKO. WARDROBE HAS MANY COSTUMES. By J. Drummond, F.L.S., F.Z.S. A pukeko seen on Waimea Plains, Nelson province, a few weeks ago, wearing an unusual costume, its wings mottled with brown, brings to mind the fact that this species of rail, like a fairly large number of other species of New Zealand birds, has a varied wardrobe. An adult pukeko usually wears a black cap, black sleeves, a black mantle, a bright indigoblue vest, and a black stomacher tinged with blue. Pure w-hite feather's beneath the tail feathers, crimson bill and shield on the forehead, and red stockings provide a sharp contrast to the dark plumage. Occasionally, pukeko struts in pure white, set off with pale red bill. It may wear white sleeves, snowing up against the regulation costume of black and blue, or it may freckle, cloud, or blotch part of its costume with white, brown, and cream colour. One individual had an elaborate colour scheme. It scattered white feathers on its neck, wore a yellow mantle barred with brown, and had light brown crescents on its breast and its sides, which were flushed with blue.

Liverpool Museum lias a white pukeko, labelled “ White Gallinule,” It has attracted more attention than any ■ other pukeko in the world. Its portrait has been painted several times, and its position in ornithology has been widely discussed. Mr W. R. B. Oliver states that in some lights, its white costume has a bluish gloss. Historical as well as beautiful in its purity, this albino skin was obtained by Sir Joseph Banks in New Zealand during Captain Cook’s first voyage about 160 years ago. On the banks of Lake Grassmerc lived another pure white pukeko. Canterbury Museum has a pukeko, taken from Lake Ellesmere, with bluish-grey back and wings.

A Maori tradition that the pukeko was brought to New Zealand in one of the historical canoes from Hawaiki niUst.be dismissed: but, although most New Zealanders regard it as exclusively a New Zealand bird, the species graces other countries. It is plentiful in many parts of Australia and Now_ Guinea, and is E resent on New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, ord Howe Island, and Niue, and smaller islands in tho Pacific. It is swift-footed, swims powerfully, can dive when necessary, lays many eggs, and, when on the wing, readily drops into cover and escapes notice; but its wide distribution and persistence in the face of enemies civilisation hurled at it may be accounted for mainly by its abundant food supplies. A dweller in swamps and lagoons, it relies mainly on the soft stems of the raupo, or bulrush, and the roots of marshy plants, but insects are on its list, and, as many a farmer knows, it, in some degree, compensates itself for civilisation’s invasion of its ancient ancestral homes by raiding crops. In spite of their love of swamps and lagoons as sites for their homes, pukekos seem to be able to live well on short supplies of water. There are no swamps on Niue, and little water is available to them on that almost waterless island.

Since New Zealand has had human inhabitants, pukekos, making an excellent dish, if properly dressed and bung sufliciently long, as Sir Walter Bullcr testifies, have had a somewhat trying time. In June and July, when they are very fat, Maori fowlers, in ancient, days, snared them in thousands. Rows of stakes a few feet apart were driven into the ground in swamps pukekos frequented, Strings of flax were stretched from stake to stake. Nooses made from fibrous leaves of cabbage trees were suspended close together from the strings. The nooses were as high from the ground as the pukekos’ heads. Walking along looking for food, the pukekos ran their heads into the nooses, and were caught. Pukekos were as troublesome to Maoris as they are to farmers, raiding the kumcra gardens, and, later, the potato fields.

In Sir Walter Bullet’s day, some 45 years ago, a great morass at Te Ante, Hawke’s Bay, more than 3000 acres in area, with a broad lagoon in the centre, was one of the best pukeko shooting grounds. Late in the year pukekos, accompanied by their young, swarmed out of the raupo and rushes on to adjoining meadows, making a strange, bright, and lively scene. By that time they had become accustomed to the noise of railway traffic, walking with stately strides and unconcernedly within 20 yards of trains. Pukekos have been seen swimming across 15 yards of water between the high banks of a deep limestone creek. Riding near the creek, a man heard a loud screaming and saw a commotion amongst the pukekos. He saw an, enormous eel at grips with an adult pukeko. With bill and claws the pukeko fought valiantly, other pukekos helping it when they had a, chance to get in. The fight continued for several minutes, until the pukeko wrenched itself free.

It could hardly be expected that the pukeko, bo plentiful, conspicuous, and tasty on the table, should escape Maori legend. Different tribes linked the bird with different legends. The Ngati-Hau, Children of the Wind, believed that the famous chief Turi, captain of the Aotea canoe, brought the pukeko and the parrakcets from Hawaiki. The Ngati-Apa fell in with this belief, but gave Tun credit for introducing all birds that scratched the plantations, also for introducing the Maori rat. The legends gave Turi a high position as an acclimatiser of plants and animals, a position he should not occupy. The powerful Ngati-Awa tribe, in Taranaki, explained the pukeko’s crimson bill and red legs by a legend that Tunaroa, Long Eel, insulted the wife of the great god Maui, who cut off Long Eel’s head. Maui waved the severed head to and fro, and some of the blood fell on the pukeko, making bloodstains that have not faded. A prettier belief was held by all tribes. This states that' when Tawhaki, a god, was ascending to the skies he met the pukeko in the form of a child accompanied by its parent. Ta-whaki, in playful mood, tweaked the_ pukeko’s nose, which has been red ever since.

On the Brothers, in Cook Strait, as on islands near the coast of Auckland, petrels and .tuataras seem to be on the most friendly terms. There are a few tuatarae on the rock on which the lighthouse fltands, and when a petrel’s burrow is dug out it is found sometimes that bird and reptile shared the place o.f abode. At some parts of the year tuataras that live with petrels have a lively time ou account of the clamour all around them. The petrels quarrel over ownership of the burrows. If the night is dark and still, the whole island seems to vibrate with the noise.

The light at the lighthouse has a powerful attraction for the petrels, particularly on rainy nights. By contact with the heavy plate-glass on the tower window they make a continued tattoo. Some receive heavy blows. Occasionally a petrel, confused by the bright light, is caught by a keeper. As soon as two captives are placed within touch of each other all thoughts of personal safety vanish, and the instinctive fear of man is forgotten in the fierce fight that takes place. They do not quarrel during working hours, when they work hard and busily. They cannot find time to quarrel except at their leisure.

Sportsmen and others arc surprised sometimes at the tenacity with which birds cling to life. This seems to be particularly marked in kiwis. Sir Walter Buller bought a half-grown kiwi in excellent health. It was before kiwis wore protected, and Sir Walter Buller, an enthusiastic collector, decided to kill the kiwi and adds its skin to his collection. Following the practice, ho compressed the breast bone against the back. The kiwi fought hard for life, but at last gave way. Limp and lifeless, and apparently quite dead, it was placed in a specimen box.

In the evening, Sir Walter Buller went to take the body, in order to skin it. To his surprise, be found that the kiwi was alive, and showed absolutely no signs of the terrible experience through which it had gone in the morning. He had not the heart to repeat the experiment. To reward the kiwi for its heroic struggle, he gave it a comfortable cage, kept it for a mouth to accustom it to confinement, and shipped it to England as a present to the Zoological Society of Loudon. _ It proved to be healthy and sturdy and lived in the society's gardens for many years.

Paradise ducks make their homes in many different sites. Some select wide river beds, other nests are on steep mountain faces far from water, others off cliffs that overhang a river, others in trees. The strangest nests recorded were in unoccupied rabbit burrows on Waitangi Station, South Canterbury. Three pairs of paradise dudes'used the burrows. All these nests were fairly close to the homestead. One, near the woolshed, was often visited by people. The ducks, male and female, sat tight. They did not seem to resent the curiosity of strangers. The burrows were on rising ground. The nests were sufficiently close to the mouths of the burrows to give the owners a view of the outside world. Ther§ was no danger of attack by stoats, weasels or rats from any direction except the front.