NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2600, 13 January 1904, Page 43

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Questions for reply in coming issut to It received ?et later than iUJNDAY nighL

The Wcodhen and Its Car'eeb. — Mr Peter Larsen, Invercargill, writes: — "I have read with intorest in the Witness of December 30, 1903, "The Study and Observation of Birds of New Zectlaad," by IJj: Richard Honry, caretaker of the sanctuary for nativ . birds. Though myself lKit a close observer of the different specios, it took my fancy the way Mr Heniy describes the cunmngness of the ivoodhen, tbs moveniJ.-.ts of which I hive had the opportunity to wr-tch while camp«d in the bush. I once obaerved one chasing a rat, but whether it managed to catch its iiitencVd prey br not I do not know, aa they disappeared cimongst the bushes ; but the s\,- d at which they can travel would make a fairly good runner puff in trying _ to catch one. Eut they have provided me with many a good meal when engaged in bush life, where other meat was not obtainable. They are so tame and fearless that one was almost T&'uctint to take the life of such a confiding friend and companion; but necessity and want have no conscience. I have had them by mo at the camp fire,- with tho billy on the fire containing some of their own tribe cookinsr; while some of them would go up to the~bil'y, peeping into it to see if they could fish any of its contents cut. They would even enter the tent and take away food -that wme within their reach. iLmy, a one I have caught from tho tenfc door by a string with a running loop put outside thi door, having a little flour sprirJcled in front of the loop, so that they could not reach it without stepping into the loop ; while I stood inside the tent door and pulled the string, when your bird was a. prisoner. "While on the West Coast, south of Okarito, a brothel? and I era prospecting. We were crossing a laigo swamp, the grass, ferns, etc., so cfcnso that it was diffcult to wado through it; but no sooner hed we made a track through ths grass thin the woodhen would pop out close on cur heels, seeking for food m the mud' which we had waded through. A3 I always carried my snare with me, I wotild put ifc down in the track and sprinkle a little flour before the running loop, and the innocent bird would calmly walk into it whfte I was facing it only a few feot off, and instantly the bird waa my prisoner. I felt aggrieved at taking the life of so innocent a creature ; but an empty 6tomach has no conscience, as our provisions had run out with the exception of a little flour, A'hich we used, in thickening the liqiud ir which the birds were boiled. Though not a soup that would bs relished m a hotel or private family, where food is plentiful, it ■was a, consolation that one would not starve in the wild wost while those birds weie ao numerous. I have seen, when laying down . our swag when prospecting, m a few minutes half ; iozen oi more walk up to the blankets Jid examine them minutely, did pick at them to see if there was anything that couid be removed. This is a true statement of the career of tho bird." Novice, Hyde. — The following. recipe for elderberry wine appeared in our issue cf the 23rd ult. As poss'bly you may not have the number by you, we repeat it : To Cgal berries add 7gal watei, add Jib allspice, 2oz whole gingei, and a few cloves; boil this for half an hour, by which time it will be wasted to 7gal or Sgal; squeeze the bsrries well, and to every gallon add SJlb moist &v.gax. The quantity then will be sufficient for a 9gal keg. The sugar being added, boil till the liquor become: clear, taking the scum off as it ris«s. Remove it to a cool placa, and put it into the cask when lukewarm; add to it i piece of toasted bread dipped in thick yeast. Should it not stai-L to ferment the next day, a small quantity of wine taken ut and made to boil and then replaced 111 the jask -will probably excite it; if not, '- mother pieco of bread, dipped in yea,9t as before, must be Let it lernain. about « week. When the fermentation has subsided fill up the keg and bung it down closely. It will be fit for use- in about three month.3, but it will keep for yeai3. Ploughman. — Will ba replied to by "Agricola" in "Notes on Rural Topics." Old Subscriber, Westport. — Mr Robert Bam, 9 Ellis street, Dunedin. Kew Yeaji. — Nothing can be charged for merely keeping the papers. A solicitor, however, has ii legal right to retain possession of the deeds and documents of a client until all outstanding costs due to him by the client have been paid. iWinchjiaet. — (1) The lien only extends to three months' wages. (2) You cannot register a iien for any greater sum. (3) A duly registered lien takes priority ovei all other then existing or subsequently created encumbrances, liens, or interests whatsoever affecting the mining privileges to which such legistered lien relates. But as between lieneea of the same class — e.g., wages men — all registered liens rank equally and alike in respect of such portion of the amounts to which the liens relate as was earned during one and the same period of time. Fishing. — (1) He counts as " occupier," the Crowu being in point of fact the owner. (2) Yes. (3) Yes. Authority is given by section 6 of "The Fisheries Conservation Act. Amendment Act, 1902," which reads thus: — " No person being the occupier of any lands ehall be prevented from fishing without licenser payment of fee upon any lands so occupied by such person within the period and upon the conditions allowed by regulations under the principal act (' The Fisheries Conservation Act, 1884 '), or be liable to any penalty for so doing." A- T. — We have no statistics to show the actual position of the Mol neux in the rivers , of the world, but the fohewmg table showing the discharge and area drained of some of the principal rivers is of interest.

By a fir© at Dipfcon Flat on Saturday a six-roomed house, occupied by James Gcbla and family, and valued nfc £220, was destroyed. Some gorse for kindling had been left in front of the kitchen fire, and it is surmised that this caught fire. The house ■was insured for £150 with the North British luid Mercantile Companies,.

Name of a.3 g § •§ g g Eiver> ii|*l Slal, Authority. Mississippi ... 1,326,610 39,954,000-N „. „,„ Gangea 432,480 12,420.000 .< n , Jls Irrawaddy ... — 4,500,000 } °*naland Ehine .TT ... 85,853 3,900,000 „ ?" e^ „ Nile 520,200 l,38G;000^ En S' neenn ?- Molyneux ... 7,450 1,090,000 Balfonr. Moljneux ... 8,248 1,088,736) g . j Builer 2,341 990.579 [ Waikato - 4,768 830,168 i Hectc > r - Thames (Eng.) 5,000 102,000 1 stevenson . Clyde ... ... 945 48,000 I w - 099 1TN.Z. Official Waiau — 5o7 > 299 V'Year Book."