LAND AND WATER,

Otago Witness, Issue 2727, 20 June 1906, Page 52

LAND AND WATER,

The habits of the kea wore discussed at considerable length at last week's Jeoting of the Otago Institute. Dr Benham led off by pointing out the inaccuracy of a paragraph that appeared in certain colonial papers, and also in Nature, some time ago to tho f'fl'.-ct that the leca is not a bird of canii.oioii.-i habits. He had communicated wit ii a number of residents in tho country dj^trifts who were in a position to give reliable information, and had lcarnod from them that, beyond all doubt, the charge against the bird is well founded. Some of his corn-spondenrs had shot keas in the neighbourhood of dead sheep, and found mutton fai in their crops. Dr Riley supported Dr P-enham's conclusions, and regretted that the case against tho bird appeared to be proved, as it really meant ite extinction in time. The Timaru Post saj*s: — "There is a bad time in store for fomo shooters, vrha recently committed a wanton act of oruelty, if the Acclimatisation Society is successful in proving tho charge against the offenders. For seme years past the society has benn protecting- tho native pigeon on its reserve at Mount Nimrod, and in this work adjoining propertyowners have been assisting it by refraining from shooting or allowing others to shoot the birds when they flew out of the reserve on to privately-owned property. But recently advantage was taken of the absence of two such owners to go on to their property and slaughter the birds, 53 being killed in all. Not only is the native pigeon a. very pretty and harmless bird, but by reason of the good treatment they hay» received on the reserve ihey have become so tame that one can walk up to within 10 yards of them, and then tney will not fly unless a noise is made to frighten them. It must be a curious 'eeling which prompts a man with a gun to shoot a bird of this sort, and there can certainly be no sport in it." The whole of the mutton-birders nave now returned from the islands (says the Western Star). They had a most successful season, and some have exceptionally large catches, the birds generally being in splendid condition. Owing to some hitch in the arrangements, the parties had to stay three weeks longer on the islands than was necessary, and the mutton-birders bad all left (of their winter quarters before the Nat ires got off, so that they were unable- to tarn the enforced detention to profitable account, while the food' supplies running out re* duced them to very plain fare. The daring proposal of circumnavigatingthe globe in a 30ft boat, according to an exchange, is being made by Mr Williams, of Whangarei. The intended construction jot the craft will be of unusual character*

The whole part amidships will take the shape of a keg, and the stem and stern will run to turned-up points, closely resembling a Chinese slipper. There will be a fore-and-aft rig on a mainsail, two foresails, and a small aftersail. Mr Williams intends to sail round New Zealand before commencing the longer ocean voyage, making the Christchurch Exhibition his first objective. The utility of this and similar crafts is not very apparent to the lay mind, but the failures of the hundreds which have " gone- before" has no appreciable deterrent influence upon sanguine experimenters. In a letter to the Daily Times on the subject o f damp matches, Mr James Milne, of Riversdale, saye: — A. wax vesta that has become damp can be dried again in five or ten minutes. Open the front of your shirt, place and hold the head of the match directly against the chest, and the heat of the body will dry it. During many past shooting and fishing excursions I have on several occasions 'found this method of dryng matches to be very usefuL If the above was more generally known people who happen to get lost on the ranges or lost in the bush, with, ' clothes wet and matches damp, could in. many instances be able to kindle a fire. \T-ith a good fife on a rough night people lost on the ranges^jr lost in the bush would not be so liable to be perished with cold. At; the meeting of the New Zealand Axemen's Association, held at Elrbam on Wednesday evening, 13th, Carson, M'lotosh, and M'Cann, of Invereargill, were disqualified for 12 months for competing at Invercargill on Easter Monday. The directors of tbo association decided thafc alt other axemen residing in the South -Island other than the three mentioned will be eligible to compete afc tltc axemen's carnival to be held in connection with the Exhibition ab Christchurch next January. The carnival will be held under the auspices of the New Zealand Axemen's Association, and it is # anticipated that a large number of axemen ' will compete from Australia. Tasmania, and all parts of New Zealand. Mr R. Leslie OrboH. of Timaru, has (says the OamStu tlail) presented to the jjolf clubs of Canterbury and Otago a challenge cup for competition among teams to consist of six ladies and s,ix men, singles and foursomes to be played. The eun is held for the first year by the Timaru Club, and any team wishing to compete for it shall challenge the holders and play on the latter's link*. It is estimat-eci rhat the total catch of -mutton-birds for the season by the Natives is 120.000, which, at 4d a-pieee. represents £2000. The birds were never known to be in better condition, due to the superabundance of the small fish which constitute their food. The North Otago Times states that Mr Charles Ayscn has been very successful at the collection of trout ova. Near the mouth of the Hakataramea last week ho obtained 40.000 ova; and he has now gone to the Opihi, where the opportunities are on a more extensive scale. These ova are distributed over tho colony for the stocking of various rtve-rs where required. A wild pig was shot in the- Orari country the other day that measured 9ft lOin from the snout to fho tail, and was 3ft 9in in height. This i.« said to have been the biarercst pig yet shot in the Orari Ranges. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Curling Province was held at Rough Ridffo on Friday. Btb inst. Inhere were present the repr^fientarives from, a.l' -^he clnbs, and the president (Mr- R. F>. Black) occupied the chair. The Wedderb:Trn and Idaburn Clubs were admitted for affiliation to tho R.C.C., Edinburgh. St. Baf-hans v^as fixed as the site of tho Bonspicl in 1906. Mr R. Cowan was voted to ihe position of president, and was rp-e-lected s<?eretn.rv and treasurer, Mr J. H. Kompstcn. of Liverpool. be ; njr acrain nnpoinipcl Homf representative of the N.Z.C P. at meetings of the R.C.C.C.

THE SCULLI2CG CHAMPIONSHIP SYDNEY. June 18. Durrson, the Canadisn pcu'ler. write" <-t?tii-g that if Town« beat« Sfßnbnry in the coming smiling race he will so to England »nd row Towns, ar.d if Stanburv wins hs will come to Australia and row Stanbury.