IN TOUCH WITH NATURE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22198, 27 February 1934, Page 2

IN TOUCH WITH NATURE

THE GROUND LARK HOSTS OF FRIENDS. By J. Duummond, F.L.S., F.Z.S. The ground lark's friendly action in destroying ticks in North Auckland at this season hag inspired tributes to its usefulness in other directions. Mr H. C, Belcher, Eltharo, Taranaki, is grateful to it for checking the grass grub. "On my- farm, which is largely reclaimed swamp land," he wrote. "we do much levelling and grubbing. We turn up hundreds of grass grubs. While we do this work severad ground larks are always with us. They have become very tame, and they have a great time amongst the grubs. One lunch hour I closely watched one particular ground lark. It took no fewer than 38 grubs. Goodness knows where it put them all; % It certainly took them. This gives an idea of the good this species does." Another tribute is by Mr G. J. Garland, Mangere East, Manukau Harbour, who sees much to like, and, probably, nothing whatever to dislike, in native birds, which he has known 6ince he was a boy. He praises the ground lark as one of the most .useful birds in New Zealand, and, as an additional virtue, one of the tamest and friendliest. He is impatient _ with people who "howl about birds taking a ripe plum, peach, or tomato, and forget their services in the spring and through the heat of summer." He would like New Zealand to part company with the blackbird and the Californian quail, but he would not get rid of the starling for all the bright gold of the Indies.

Amiable.in dispostion, the ground lark might be regarded as timid. This impression is dispelled by Sir Walter Buller. He watched Mocks of ground larks, while searching for food, spread in all directions, but ag soon as a hawk came into sight, or any other danger threatened, they rose together into the air ously, and went fairly high. He often saw a flock of them chase and harass a bush-hawk, a courageous action, as the hawk is one of their worst enemies. In the mating season Sir Walter Buller saw male ground larks soar, rise high in the air, and descend with outspread tails and tremulous wimrs, uttering a prolonged trill, very pleasant. On the railway line between Napier and Hastings, in his day, almost 50 years .ago, ground larks had a peculiar custom of following trains. Ihey evidently liked to try their power of 'light against the speed of the trains. A flock of a hundred ground larks sometimes, for several miles, kept abreast of a tram, or slightly ahead of ..it. Stragglers joined in. Their vivaciousness and joyousness gave passengers an impression that they were delighted in. the tun.

The greatest compliment to the ground lark is paid by Mr H. Guthrie-Smith. To him, it is not one bird, but four birds. He mean's that in New Zealand it takes the place, in the Old Country, of the skylark, the wagtail, the flyoatcher, and, most flattering comparison, robin redbreast, darling of English children s books and stories. Examining ground larks' nests on his sheep station at Tutira, he finds that they are, as closely as possible, modelled on the skylarks style of architecture, a deep cup in the ground on' a steep bank or on an almost precipitous hill slope, sometimes beneath a tussock on a flat, or in a paddock much.trodden by stock, the eggs, usually four, practically indistinguishable from a On an open river bed, near a river s -brim, and on coastal lagoons the ground lark is as much like a wagtail as it can be. Darting after insects hour after hour, its sudden excursions, airy convolutions, and the snap of its mandibles convert it into a flycatcher. In the role of robin redbreast, it helps in the garden, chums up with the-gardener, picking up the white, soft, sleepy grubs of green beetles, or grass-grubs, as on Mr Belcher's farm and On many another farm. All the time, m structure, habits, disposition, it discloses i its identity as a pipit. Ground larks have increased noticeably on Tutira, halfway between Napier and Wairoa, Hawke's Bay. Hundreds- of them flock together there in the winter, helping settlement and receiving from it rich benefits which the ancient wilderness could not give.

Mr F. H. Searchfield has recorded some of his experiences in order to demonstrate the difficulty of drowning bees. He robbed a hive, and left some 1 honey in a milk tin. Rain fell for three days, When it cleared he found many bees floating in water in the tin. They looked as if they had been drowned. He picked up one and placed it in the opening to the hive, expecting to see the bee s drag it inside. They immediately came out, greatly excited. They seemed to conduct an inquest. Then all except five departed. Two of the five took up positions close to the inert bee, one on each side. They, moved their wings so rapidly that they caused a vibration. The remaining three crawled over the bee, which they seemed to lick and massage. It soon showed signs of life., To Mr Searehficld's astonishment, it returned to life in 10 minutes. On his trying to catch it, it flew away. The same effects were produced in the same way on other bees that had a drowned appearance in the water. There were never fewer than four doctor-bees in attendance or more than five. Bees left in the water in the tin died.

In a.pool in a gully at Panmure, nine miles south of Auckland city, Mr Searchfield, in his boyhood days, saw many kokopu, fresh-water fish, which early settlers called Maori trout, or mountain trout. He caught a good specimen that weighed about five ounces, and wrapped it in a wet cloth intending to use it for bait. About five hours later, he took it out. of the cloth. As its tail moved, he placed it in a dish of fresh water. It soon swain about, having recovered all its energy. It was taken out of the water and was put away for the night. On the following morning 'its tail moved slightly. .In fresh water it soon completely recovered again. It was so active that there'was difficulty in catching it. After dinner day, Mr Searchfield went down to the beach, taking the kokopu, i(;s tail still moving. He placed it in a pail of salt water, and there it died.

Records for tenacity to life are held by microscopical creatures that live in countless numbers in gutters, ditches, and birds' nests, amongst moss, on roofs, and in. almost every damp place. They are only about one twenty-fifth of an inch long. They are so inconspicuous that few people_ are acquainted with them. Under a microscope they look like miniature bears. For this reason they are called water-bears popularly. Some species, particularly those that live amongst moss, have nmazing powers of revivification. If their damp atmosphere becomes very dry, or if they are allowed to dry slowly on a microscopic slide, movements of their limbs cease, their bodies shrink, their skins wrinkle, and they look like weathered grains of sand, in which no parts can be distinguished. They may remain in that conditions for years?

After water is added to their surroundings, they revive slowly. Their bodies swell and fill, their legs are tTirust out, they gradually become as plump as they were before. They remain immovable for a time, but soon begin to move, and to resume their ordinary active Jives, as if nothing had happened. Water-bears are bears in name only. They are no connection of the grizzly or its tribe. If they have any close relatives, these are amongst the miteß. In the annals of natural history they are tardigrades, slow-pacers. Soon after last New Year, two tuis visited Mr Garland's garden in Mangere, evidently, on their way to a bird sanctuary about two miles ftom hie home, where several acres of flax were coming into bloom. There are a few flax bushes in his garden. In their flight, the tuis wheeled sharply and inspected the flax stems there, but found nothing to induce them to stay. They uttered a few notes, and made a beeline for the sanctuary, where, no doubt, nectar and other foods were plentiful. If an industry in these days survives and prospers, science must equip it at all points. This is the theme of a thoughtful essay by Dr W. E. Gibbs, professor of chemical engineering in London University, in the January number of Science Progress, London. Science affects every manufacturing process. It has multiplied the large manufacturer's opportunities,

but it has completely changed his out-, look.. -Instead of gaining temporary advantage over a rival by employing an ingenious or inspired worker, he engages; a staff of men trained in science. Discovering what research has done, they apply the knowledge to immediate pio'b-; lems, and keep the manufacturer abreast of the times. They may place him ahead of others in some small process that means a great deal to him. Industries are in the same position as individuals. In industries, co-operative research schemes are required, manufacturers contributing to a general research fund, which tests generalisations that affect them all. In view of these developments, Professor Gibbs urges the universities to train men for chemical engineering,, infusing into them the spirit of research and improvement. Other essays, and articles, notes and reviews in this number of Science Progress have values of their own. This English magazine of scientific thought and work always is full of information, contributed by experts.