THE MAORI HEN.
[Written for the Otago Witness.)
Tha Maori hen is one of the smill, wingless birds of New Zealand. Though unknown to fiuff'sn, and not mentioned by Audubon, Bhe is familiar to moat porßons in this country. I say she, because I have never seen or hoard of a male Maori hen. If such a bird ever did exist like the Moi it is now cxbinc?.
The Maori hen is accive in its habits, and in this particular far surpasisea the traditional bee, attending; to bucinesg wi^h a hungry pertinacity night and day — bsing gifted by nature with the power of seeing in the dirk. When pursued by man, it elevates its caudal appendage in a derisive manner, and generally makes good its retreat by a aeries of abrupt flank movements. The Maori hen is never troubled with dyspepsia, digesting easily broken glass, nails, mice, and other natural products. A large quantity of pebbles are also used by the Maori hen, but not "Brazilian" ones, weak eyea being a fatal objection to their existence. It is feared the introduction of that predatory bjrd, the Asiatic pheasant, will have a demoralising effect on the subjecb of these remarks. This may account for the mistake made by some persons nsar Tuapeka, who reported having soen the partridges liberated by the Acclimatisation Society, which turned out to be Maori hens. The discovery of goldfields in the remote parts of this Island is mainly owing to thia useful bird, prospectors depending alrnosb entirely upon it as a means of Fiipport, supplemented by tho inevit&ble Sinclair. In the export line, the Maori h^n haß not yet attracted much attention, owing to the difficulty of transit from the interior ; but by the formation of the Kingsfcone railway, and oth«rs, thia will be obviated. At the last Bitting of Parliament tho Government were »sk»\l for a report K'jowinc-j the number of Maori heos the waste I'iuda of the country prod need to the aero. ■Should tho reporb bo favourable to tho project, it ia said that a factory will be established for tinning and preserving the birds, and the starving millions of the Oid Country supplied with a ohean and nutritious food. A fine oil can also be ey-
racfied from tho Maori hen that is much used by tho auriferous peasantry of New Zealand, with whom the season for hunting them commences early in January, and ends late in December ; in facfc, if nob soon protected by law they will be exterminated. As a new industry, it is hoped that Government will foster and encourage thia hen meat preserving project, and not make it the subject of special taxation or anti-Abolition bogus bonuses. W. L. W.
THE MAORI HEN.
Otago Witness, Issue 1449, 30 August 1879, Page 7
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