OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS COLUMN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 85

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS COLUMN.

FOR SENIORS AND JUNIORS.

(Conducted by Magisteb, to whom all communications must be addressed.)

[Maoistke will be glad to receive Nature notes, marked papers containing educational articles, diagrams, details of experiments, •to., of ccholastic interest to teachers and pupils. Correspondents using a pen Hume must alio send name and address.] i CORRESPONDENCE. v Once more I must ask correspondents to read the notice at the head of this column. Again 'and again 1 receive letters written on both sides of the paper. As I have said, I do not care to cut correspondence out, but the writing- only on one side, and the sending of name I must enforce. " Crosscaste's " letter contains news to me. Is there a manuka which bears female flowers only? Male (staminate) flowers and female (pistillate) flowers are found on the same tree ; also hermaphrodite (pistils and stamens on_ the same) flowers. " Kirimoko " is not given in Thomson's "Class "Book of Botany" nor in "Plants of New Zealand." Did E. Cartwright get his mistletoe on a ■beech-? I might say that beeches are generally known as birches. I didn't 6ubmit it to Mr. Thomson, but I am sure it is a mistletoe of the genus Loranthus, which is widespread. "Plants of New Zealand" says that there^- is only one mistletoe in Great Britain, and that this one very occasionally grows upon the oak; and when seen on the oak in olden times was reverencedWe all know the sacred character attributed to it by the Druids. Charles Goodall refers to the eggs of the swamp hen and of the hawk. Should " pukaki 1 ' be "pukeko"? Its eggs are "greyish turown, with, dots- and blotches of grey and ■brownish-violet," so can be easily distinguished. Mr Watte finds he made a mistake in stating that the parents of a mixed brood of young fantails were both pied. He says that, he has heard a cuckoo, crying on the wing, and, referring to the scepticism of J. Shore, -says " Doubting Thomas should doubt no more." I shall be glad to hear from "Student," but I would suggest short clear notes on some seasonal botanical subject. I should like notes anticipating interesting developments of plant life. I am publishing Henry Warden's letter, because it may suggest to some young folk the pleasure there will be in collecting fern specimens for mounting. I'll get the specimen named for next issue, all being ■well. I am obliged to Mr Roberts for records^ November, J. 906. I think it will surprise many to know how dry and cold it can he at Ranfurly 6O late as November. Poultry-keeping is not one of my hobbies, nor have I heard of twin birds from a double-yoked egg. I know a boy who has a hen that has laid three eggs in two days Beveral times during the past few months. Is j " Ayi Fauna " correct in saying that "J.," Rimu, mentions the vegetable caterpillar as a distinct creature? I think not, •but have not time to look up. " Hammer " plight be " Ammer " ; if so, lam glad my Swung reader has drawn attention, to it.

These are little points which should not be lost sight of. _ Donald Fraser's letter has been a long time appearing. The eel question ia occupying the attention of Donald Maodonald in his column of Nature notes' in the Melbourne Argus, but I think we have passed the earlier stages of such correspondence. Perhaps some other reader can enter the lists against Mr Fraser. The following short note was written to acompany "E. A.'s" leetter last week, but was crushed out: — "The rock wren is ' above, olive green ; head ■ and neck brownish; below, fawn colour; flanks and vent tinged with yellow. A white line over the eye, which is dark brown.' This, however, frequents mountain regions, and' is rarely eeen. It frequents rockrp regions, and runs under the stones like lizards. It 4 feeds upon insects, and forme its neet among rocks." The bush wren is described thus in ' ' Animals of New Zealand' ' — ' ' Male : Above, green; wing feathers dark brown, edged with green; a white line over the I eye; below, white tinged with yellow on I the flanks; tail, black, with a yellowish tip; eye, dark brown. Female: Brownish white streaked with dark brow<n above; below white." The bird "E. A." refers to may be the second described. Can "E. A." forward a specimen? I had closed the correspondence on the laughing owl, but " Whekau's" letter is of sufficient interest to be published. I'll return the exercise book to Wanganui in a week or so. Notice to Oorbesfondejtts. I am hoping that young folk on their holidays will pick up many a good Nature note, but as I am going out of town for a fortnight or perhaps three weeks, during that time correspondence, except of a special nature, may not be answered. Make notes though. I wish all niy readers a very Happy and Prosperous New Year. ! Hillgrove, December 12. Dear Magister, — I see in last week's notes that the manuka is called the teatree. I hope you will not reckon me»*in any way pref.umptucus, but please allow me to inform readers of your columns that the real came of the manuka referred to, which is the female, or the manuka commonly called the " black manuka " through the dark colour of the bark, or what the Maoris speak of "as skin, is kirimoko, which, when translated, means blackskin manuka (kiri — skin, moko — black), reversing the words as the language is spoken. As I have drunk the tea made from the leaves (when a boy), we used to Eiiglishise the Maori word kirimoko thus " kilmoge," and use the term " kilmoge tea." It is also drunk as a medicine by the Maoris. The ti-tree is the Maori name of the cabbage tree, and this is how the town of Timaru goi> its name. The tale is told that once upon a time two Irishmen met at that place. One sadd, " Tim, are you " (Timaru); when Pat was about to leave Tim EC-id, "You are going home, abe you?" (Oamaru). The real origin, however, is this: Mara in the Maori means " shade." so when the Maoris were at that place they used the . shade of the ti-tree on a hot day. Hence Timaru is " the shade of the ti-tree.'' Oamaru should be written with a comma or space at the back of the O and A. means of or pertaining to anything, and. a (pronounced sh) as the word yes, thus: O, A, Mam, or, translated, "Yes, of shadows." Again I must mention the kirimoko — properly speaking, " black • manuka " or " the manuka "—" — has a larger leaf and flower or blossom than the male or he manuka, and_ also a sweeter flavour in the leaves. The same applied to the ribbonwood (except the flavour), whereas the- ribbonwood is often called " cherry blossom." In the North Island one of them is called thousand-jackets. Also last spring the kowhai, or yellow-tree, was very prominent in this respect, and when a little distance off one tree would be a mass of yellow bloom-, while the other was green and barren. Hoping these lines will throw some light an the stfbject. — I am, etc, Crosscaste. Glenham, December 16. Dear Magister, — While rambling through the bush we came -upon several large trees which had many large bunches of parasite growing on them. The parasite was very high up, and I could only obtain a small specimen by throwing sticks at it till I knocked off the small piece which I ans sending. Would you please tell me if it is the red mistletoe. — I am, etc., E. Cabtwbight. Matai, Southland, December 10. . Dear Magister, — One of your correspondents inquired how many eggs does a hawk hatch? I think the girl who discovered the nest must have made a mistake, and confounded the swamp turkey — hen (?) — known as the puakai — pukaki (?),— I think, with the hawk. If I am correct, these eggs would be destroyed, which would be lamentable. By all means destroy the hawk's, as they are I not a bessing, being very destructive and ! cowardly birds. Over a number of years' ! observation I have never seen or known 1 a hawk to hatch more than two or three eggs. It is quite possible the hawk was tiying for a meal on the 'owner of the eggs. I have many times taken 10 or 12 puakai (?) eggs from their swamp nest, and they are •very good to eat. — I am, etc., Chaeles Goodali,. Hillgrove. December 13. Dear " a£*gi&tei," — I muGt thank Mr HC»Tt for identifying the bird I described in your column. I would like to know if the blue | crane is rare, and in what locality it is j found. I only saw the one, and it has never returned here. We are also indebted to "J. M'K." for his description of the nesting of the tern. The tern does not neat on our part of the coast, although they are here in large numbers all the year round. They are named the " cuta birds " here, far during the barraoouta season tSe whereabouts of a | school of barracouta are always indicated | by the tern circling round and screaming and diving after the feed the "cuta" chase to the to-p of the waiter. There are 11 d'fferent I species of seabirds on our coast — that is actual seabirds, without counting waders. The albatross is the largest, and the smallest is about the size of a thrush. It is a funny ; thinff, if you get a mollvTiawk on board of , a boat he at once gets abominably seasick, j and has no sea legs at all, although he spends . ' all his life at sea. The mollyhawk has an appetitite and digestion fit to turn an Ameri- | can millionaire tureen with envy. He can bolt without winking a three of four pound l perch alive, kicking and 1 covered with spikes as sharp a? needles. I often wonder how they mecJ'e their living before there were any - fishing boats about. It is only owe in a blue moon that they find a de°d fish floating. They put in all their time hanging round bouts to pick up scraps. You set 1 correspondents too tough a nut to^ crack when you invited discussion on the frost t fish. Bevan-cJ the fact that they come ashore j the rest nvust all be supposition.. A frostfish has never* been known ia be^_ caug-h.fr on a j

I line. It dees not necessarily need to be 1 frosty weather when they come ashore; any time between. June and October they ; are to be found. They used to come ashore i very plentifully here in bygone years, but I are very rare now — in fact, I do-nt think there were half a dozen cam« ashore between I Moeraki and Hampden last winter. Before I it was a common thing for one to two dozen to be picked up in a single night. Dew fish come' ashore in much the same manner, the only difference is the frostfish swims ashore, > and the dew fish bexsomies inflated with air 1 from somie cause and drifts ashore. To come back to bird life again, do you know I can't help feeling sceptical about the cuckoo's eggs being, found in. other bird's nests in Otago. Among a large family of boys we I found in years of birdnesting thousands of eggs* of all sortsjj and never found a trace of a cuckoo's egg, although cuckoos were common in the bush. However, I would like i to hear the opinions of others about it. — Yours truly, Colonial, j Raetihi, North Island, December 7. Dear " Magistsr," — As a subscriber to the Witness. I have taken some interest in the discussions in your column in regard l to our native birds, etc. In regard to the fantail, I may say that I have never so far seen a black fantp.il in the North Island, and I have been, over a fair bit of it. In the Waimarino district especially the pied species is very numeiow; but, as I say, so far I have never seen a black one. I think; therefore, that there are two speciee. However, it is probable that they interbreed. Are the two species identical in size and shape? I used to think there was a slight difference, the black be/ng, if anything, smaller, but it is so loruj since I saw one of that species that I may bei mistaken. I noted the arrival here of the shining ouckoo on October 16, and the long-tailed on the 29th. I see or&e of your correspondeirts says the cuckoo never cries when in flight. I 'have often heard the long-tailed cuckoo do so; indeed one passed over tonight giving its characteristic shriek. I hove some other items about the cuckoo, which I may send you if you like. [Shall be glad. — " Magister.";] I think your correspondent is wrong in regard to pronunciation of , Hawera. It is pronounced _as spelt, the accent on the first syllable. " There are several birds about here that T do not know. j I must look them up in the Museum when 1 I get a chance. — Yours truly, Motete Mataura, December 16. Dear " Magister," — Could you add to your previous favours by passing on the enclosed specimen of fern to someone who will be good enough to identify it. We have a copy of Hooper's handbook in the locality, -but still it beats us to make out the sp&cies. It resembles the pteris tribe in the position of the sori, but fails to correspond entirely with his description of any of t£e species. The rhizome is creeping in habit. A friend has had it growing for some years, and this is tb« first time it has ahown any sign of fructification. — Yours truly. Henry Warden 1 Ranfurly, December 17. Dear " Magister," — In answer to your inquiry in your notes of the 12th, the records for November, 1906, are as below. I have not seen the Year Book, ,but I believe Central Otago is the driest climate in the Dominion. There is no doubt if records were taken in other localities round about that the rainfall would be much less than recorded here. — Yours truly, , A. W. Roberts/ Rainfall for November, 1906, .84in; number of days on which rain fell, 6; maximum) I temperature, 78deg, on the 11th; minimum, temperature 24deg, on the 10th (Bdeg of , frost) ; number of nights on which frost oc- ! curred, 13. I P.S. — I do not think anyone takes the records at Naseby, but records are taken at Kokongar Gimmerburn, and Patearoa. I think, would show less rain than here, and Naseby more. A Botanical Ramble. Some high days every year find me engaged in botanical rambles, gathering specimens of plants, and if possible identifying them to keep up my little stock of knowledge, and what is mere important add something extra to it. The recent Teport of the scientific expedition to the southern islands have been as bugle calls, so much so that when offered the use of a hut up the line the chance was eagerly accepted. So far two days a party of three lived a life of isolation (all of us students of Nature), on.lv holding intercourse with the outside world through the milkman (a necessary evil). During the day we gathered specimens and spent the evenings classifying. Lately your column has been devoted to birds, so you can. of a surety spare a word : tfor the plants. While the majority of Dunedin readers are not likely to see the cuckoo or morepork, they can all take an intelligent interest in our native flora. The bush has not all disappeared; there still remains the town belt, which is being gradually replanted with native plants; our gardens, botanical and reserves, are fairly well stocked, and the Town Belt is accessible to all. These public places will always hold the more showy New Zealand plants, although the bush is doomed to pass away. Early one bright December morning we might have I been seen wending our way up a typical mountain gorge, through which flowed a stream of sparkling water. In the dark and deep pools trout — great big fellows, 41b or more — swam lazily about, hiding under the rocks., when otrr sk&dows were tlrowu upon the water. One young fish had a diseased tail, which looked, like a woolly growth, and his movements were considerably hampered by it. One suggested it was to keep him warm, but fish stories are suspicious, so this will not be believed. Anyway, it acted like a wet blanket; he seemed to be taking up his bed, and although a fish oan. hardly bo said to walk, hiß movements were leisurely in the extreme. For a great distance the stream was confined between narrow banks, widening, however, into green level stretches pleasant to behold. These open [glades yielded a great number of native flowers of many shapes and hues. To be sure, the blossoms were small, but they were sweet, and they were natives, which was everything. My heart goes out to anything New Zealand. I have often said if I were to visit London, or any of the great cities, I would go now and again to the public gardens for a look at the manuka. This 4gould be to me what the heather is to a. Scotsman, or as the shady rock was to the psalmist. There were liverworts with quaint umbrella-like organs-. There were yellow and-jwhite shamrocks, white and pink feraniums, dainty buttercups, sweet blue orget-me-nots, globular bid-a-bids, charming violets, and heaths with beautiful white hairy throats. There were butterworts, native daisies, \everlasting daisies, a white sort of lobelia (pratia), white, blue, and green orchids, besides many another plant which no common name. At the edge of the bush there were the beautiful fuchsia, gross trees (dracophyllum), tutu, and flaxes with large dull red-and-green flowers, and

1 peeping out from amongst ffc« trees the silky ripening wreaths of the clwnatis. After I this who will say we have no wild flowers? They are not showy, and I ask you why"? Many other plants, all small, were to be found by a diligent searcher, cotula, for instance, native dandelions and docks, interesting because of their wide dispersion. The pratias are queer little flowers, split down the back like a tight waistcoat, and giving the impression that a petal had been torn off. Even in this retired mountain glen the hand of the vandal could be recognised, for a ribbonwood (ptagianthus) had been quite stripped of its flowers, which had been a thing of beauty, a few days before, and a great piece of the bark torn off, evidently to show the lacework (hence the name to some curious eye). Higher, up the mountain glorious patches of Maori onions (bulbinella) carpet the ground. These are of the lily tribe, and in early summer are a great sight. So far we had ponfined our cofleoting to small plants, intending after lunch to attack the bush. At the junction of two streams we sat down for a humble meal, our appetites keen both, for food and for fresh conquests; but, alas! Nature has "infinite variety," and this day she was in a -severe mood-. Great blue-black clouds swirled overhead, the weather (as Mr Paulin _ calls it) became " electrical," the mountain became visibly nearer, and away Kb the south great forces were at work for our discomfort. Hers in this mountain gorge the stillness only broken by the gurgle of the stream, we were beholding one of Nature's, miracles — the use of mountains, the use of streams, the wearing down of the mighty, mass to the atom, to be- built up again into future lends. We spoke little, being thrust in upon ourselves, as it were, and we probably did a little introspection (I speak for myself). Such is the effect of mountain scenery on me that I felt little, insignificant. A few drops of rain fell; we made for shelter in the manuka; then a mighty rush and whirl ; everything blotted out in - a blinding mist of mountain rain. The manuka was a poor shelter; the great drops soon searched us out, and our green tent was saturated. The trunks had little streams running down them, the earth became a sponge, and as we could get but little wetter m the open we made for home. Nature had conquered us. We raced through bogs, crossed streams, slipped^ on to the broad, of our backs on the wet grass — one idea on'.y dominating us, and that to get home. One ducking like this knocks all the poetry out of the G-arden of Eden, and raisea the question how the happy couple fared in wet weather. One of the party was so wefi that he utterly ignored stepping stones, fords, or anything else, and splashed right ahead. That evening we identified our specimens, a roaring fire and dry clothes, restoring us to our usual happy state. Student. West Oxford, Canterbury. Dear Magister, — In reading some of the k>ti«Ts which appeared at various times in your paper_ I understood certain subscribers tp be writing of a certain carpenter's tool painted yellow. I think they meant it to represent the name of the bird "yellow ammer" [Even you knew that, didn't you? — Magistes]. This name, in which, so many mistakes are made, is derived from a- German, " ammer," meaning bunting. The literal meaning is yellow bunting. Again, in letters signed " J.," Rimu, he mentions the vegetable caterpillar as a distinct creature, and not being the second stage in the development of the moth, for he says it is. all bunkum about there being a moih at all. If there is no moth, will he please explain how they breed, and, if they do not breed,- as is the general rule, how they increase, for a plentiful supply is always to be found on the trees. We understand a caterpillar to be of no sex at all, and that they cannot increase as real creatures. As to the fantails, I leave that to more experienced hands, but I can say that whenever two birds of the same colour meet they fight. I don't think there are two distinct species. Avi Fauna. Invercargill, November 18. D-aar " Magister," — I notice in the Daily Times of November 7 an article copied from the Melbourne Argug, under the heading of " The Eel : It's- lafe Mystery," and then, proceeds, to state that if is now definitely known that the eel is really a saltwater or sea fish, that the rivers or lakes in which it is caught are only its temporary home, that when the time comes for reproduction the adult eel, male and female, sets off for the sea, where spawning takeis place ait a depth of 3000 ft to 4000 ft, and that the^eggs float at the same depth until theyf are hatched. Now, I know nothing about the saltwater eels or how they are reproduced, but I know for a certainty " that eels in the tidal waters of the estuaries of rivers are torpid or dormant in the winter months, and are found buried in yielding sand and mud during that time, just the same as in rivers and creeks. As for spawning or laying eggs, fresh water eels do nothing of the kind, but produce their young alive and fully developed, without taking the trouble of going to the sea or seaside for the occasion. I drew attention to this some years ago through the- columns of the Otago Witness. I may state here again that the female eel is usually pregnant in the month of February and beginning of March in Southland rivers. Outwardly in appearance I do not know the male from the female eel, but by opening them and examining them inside the female oan be recognised through its having two sounds or floats, and in one of these the young eels are easily seen when fax enough aa-^axwjed and »li-r« I have nerver found the young in any eel that weighed less than slb or 61b weigfiht ; and the number of young varied from three up to six. At no time have I seen more than six, so thai eels are not nearly so prolific as many people supposed th^m to be. Some years ago I read a statement by a Professor Aggassiz,' in *■ which he favoured the theory that eels went to the sea for the purpose of producing their young, and after doing so that they came back again to their former haunts in the fresh water, travelling sometimes considerable distances on land so as to avoid waterfalls 'and other obstacles they could not otherwise surmount. As I had some doubt cm the subject at the time. I took some trouble either to verify or disprove it. I went to the outlet of a lagoon, a small creek near Gore, and after several evenings' watching I saw three large eelo^in a shallow part of the creek, where t immediately' I placed a piece of wire netting above and below, confining them to a limited space. Next day they were still in the same place, and, aa it was raining steadily, I thought all the conditions favourable for seeing if these eels were-able to travel any distance on the grass, and find their way back again to the water. I lifted two carefully, . without injuring them in any way, in a landing net, and placed them about 10 yards away from tho creek, where the ground was quite level. After watohina the result for-a quarter of an hour they did not get nearer to -tihe water than at the start, but wrigerled about in an' aimiless "way in circles. I $ien took the third, and- largest eel, £u>d left it 1 six ' feet away front the creek, where the ground ,

" waa sloping away from it. This one's bump of locality must have been poorly developed, for it always followed the slope of the ground whether the incline was towards tha water or not. I placed this one back again in. fairly deep water, making use of the ward netting and allowing it . plenty of spacer However, on the fifth day I noticed that ifi was dead. As I had not hurt it in any wajj I could not account for this at first tintif, after close inspection, I found that the slime) was completely cleaned away through ita movements on the grass, and I have noj doubt but that it perished with the coldii as this coating of slime is just as necessary to the eel for protection against cold as. scales are to other fish; and it would he.il matter of impossibility for an eel to move/ any distance on. land without injury to itself^ ' -I am aware that eels will come p p **ly outf-~ of water, having seen one do so in the Fuerua Stream along with a Mr An£rew\ Brown, of that district. We were watching; - the efforts a very large eel was making iff trying to get up a fall of water that fell - quite perpendicular for about two feet. Afteai several faihrreg it turned to one side, whera the rock had a gradual ~ slope, and) tbeX managed to wriggle partly out of the water! - ■ into the next pool. If any angler will take, the trouble, it is a very easy matter W catch eels and find out about their way »fl - breeding by taking the entrails of a freshlyi caught trout and placing these at the heeoj of , a ijool close^ to the bank, after fastening it with ti bit of "string or sto-ne, so that it wil* not get away. Within a- few minutes everyveel in the pool will make for this .bait, ancß^ - the angler will have no difficulty in hauling; out eels with the aid- of a gaff or landing hook, 1 , Donald Eraser. Roslyn, December 19. Dear " Magister," — I notice., that th« " laughing jackass " question' is still beingtouched on in your columns. The bird Ta-; ferred to by "R. M.," in. the issue of No-( ' vember 28, and by " Sport," in that of De* - cember 12, is "certainly ttot the laughing) jackass of South Canterbury. From the 1 description of its call given by both correspondents, and especially from that given byi "R. M." (twit-twit-twit, followed by a deep? ; mur-mur; never heard' after midnight) B should say the bird is none- other tfian tha, rainbird — a bird well known to South Can- ■ terbury settlers' as distinct from the laughing jackass. The latter, by the way, often stayed out later than midnight, and its upi roarious hilarity could often be"" .heaid ia ! the small 'hours of the morning. In to-day'a issue " Robin " asserts that the spoonbill is the laughing jackass. Well," that may be,., 1 but I am inclined to doubt it. As a boyj ■ I was very familiar "with the 'grey duck, blua, duck, paradise duck, and teal — knew their haunts and nesting places, even reared some* of them from the egg, — but I never came across a duck that answered to the descrip- t tion v -of the shoveller or spoonbill, and, whatf is" more, I never .knew any of the -settlera who • had seen. one. Evidently then the - spoonbill was extremely rar«- in that >. part o£ South Canterbury, whereas, as I have said before, the jackass was comnnon. Th« 'spoonbill would need to fly much mior»powerfully than the grey duck to come up to thai jackass in speed. I am afraid that we are "no forrarder" with this question, except^, that the general opinion "of observers' seems to range itself against the classification, ofi the iackass as an owl. and that,' after all, waa the main point of .the original discussion. ' — I am, etc., . , Whekatt. [ Saddle Ball, December 20. Dear "Magister," — Have you or any of your correspondents ever heard of o-r seenl two chickens in one egg? I have a -blade Spanish /hem here which lays great; larget double-yblked egfrs. -My brother act two eggs under a hen. One egg got broken *a few days after setting, the other" egg the hen> sat on for a fortnight, and partly broke' it. Fancy our disappointment on finding thera were two chickens alive in the egg. TheyC did not live long, as they were not fully| matured. I was always led to believe that. i do-üble-yolked eggs were blank when set. I Evidently such Jia not the ca«e. and as a matter of fact ft is the first time ever we have heard or eeen iwin chickens'. Som«[' more of the above hen's eggs have beesn s«^ since, and will be watched with interest., — Wishing you the compliments of the! season, I remain, A Native Bnu>.