IN TOUCH WITH NATURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2921, 9 March 1910, Page 13

IN TOUCH WITH NATURE.

NOTES ON NATURAL HISTORY IN NEW ZEALAND. (By James Drihjimond, F.L.S., F.Z.S.) The latest addition to the literature relating to the migratory cuckoos is a note supplied by Dr Rupert V. Hosking. who, Ufce many othr: New Zealanders, has been fnuch interested in the references in this column to the habits of these birds. He writes from Ararua, Raiotonga, Cooic Islands, on January -20, and he says:— "While on the voyage from Auckland to Rarotonga, on the Talune, I went on deck on© day after luncheon, and Mr C. Kohn, of Auckland, drew my attention to the fact that a strange bird was flying round the boat, and occasionally alighting on the vessel. Thinking that the bird was familiar, I attempted to get closer to it, in order to make sure. What was my surprise, on getting within 2ft of it, to find that it was a long-tailed cuckoo, a bird which at one time was fairly plentiful in the Wairarapa, where my home is. There was no mistaking it. The bird stayed on the vessel from about 1.30 till 6.45 p.m., being frequently disturbed by the sailors painting on the boat deck above -us. Wo made several attempts to secure it, as it would have, been pos.sible to have sent it alive to you, perhaps, and ocular evidence is often more conclusive than hearsay. The bird was evidently just about done,, when it found the 6tearher, and was looking as if it was badly in need of water. Finally it took flight again, and wont away southwest, or so, right over the steamer's wake, from which it teemed evident that New Zealand was its objective. Several other gentlemen saw the bird besides"* Mr Kohn, notably Mr Hemus, of the firm of Messrs Donald and Edenborough,. of Auckland. Both these gentlemen will probably be glad to give you any further information on the subject. Being desirous of giving you an exact idea of the position of the vessel when the bird came on. board, or, rather, was first noticed flying about, I took the position of the ship at noon from the slip posted by the captain for the information of passengers. It was as follows: —October 8, .1909.—Latitr.-o 28deg 45min south; longitude 172 deg Ljmin west. The distance from Auckland was 814 miles. SundayIsland, I believe, was about 1000 miles to the westward of us. From these facts it seems to be certain that the bird had lost 'its bearings and had got out of its course, unless it.had come from Rarotonga, where it has not yet been heard of, so far as I can gather from whites and natives here. I might mention that the weather was exceptionally fine during the whole of the voyage, and the sea was very smooth, showing that a storm was an unlikely explanation of the bird's presence.

Mr Henry H. Travers, F.L.S., of Kiibirnie, Wellington, has sent some records of observations ho made .while he was on a botanical visit to Ruapehu recently. He saw the kaka in fairly large numbers in the bush, especially on the lower ground, and a few were noted flying over at the termination' of the bush.. About half a dozen pigeons were seen in the lower forest, which is mostly mixed Nothofagus (beech). The rifleman wren and the whitehead were also present in. fair numbers. One native lark was seen in open country above the bush line. One parrakeet was heard, but the species could not be distinguished. Two white-breasted tom-tits, both males, a few tuis, many pied fantails, two shags, probably black ones, and a weka, which came about the camp, were seen. One grey warbler and one long-tailed cuckoo were heard, th-3 latter during both the day and the night. Mr Travers also thinks that he heard a mutton-bird, towards morning, when it was flying overhead.

Mr Charles Opie, junior, who lives at Matabiwi, on the Wanganui River, has had some experience of the Maoris' wellknown superstition in regard to the green lizard, a particularly harmless and inoffensive creature. . " I was sowing grass-seed with two Maoris on a aewly-burnt section," he writes, " when I heard a sudden yell. Looking round, I saw one of my Maori mates, Ranfii. staring like a maniac, with his eyes almost out of his head, at a motukakariki, or green lizard. I asked him what was wrong. ' Oh,' he said, 'one of my ration- (relation) dead.' I told him that it was nonsense, but he replied, ' Yes, it is quite right. It was tha same before my mother died.' I caught the lizard, which is now in Christchurch, and placed it in our sugar-tin, Do you think I could get either of the Maoris to take sugar in that tin again? No! All Maoris up the river knew that I found a lizard. When I was at a pa, I mentioned the fact, and I found all the old* Maoris very firm in the belief that the discovery "of a green lizard is an omen of death. One Maori here never neglects to put his coat up to the window every night to prevent the 'typo,' or some deceased relative or friend, from peeping in." Mr Opie adds: " The native birds here are being replaced by the common English. birds, notably the sparrow, the thrush, and the yeilowhammer. The native birds, of course, go back further into the bush. The two species of introduced quail are present in scores. Pheasants seem to be getting very scarce. It is seldom that a native nigeon is seen here. The tui stays with us," and the sparrow-hawk seems to be increasing very fast.'*

" Although I know nothing of birds and their habits," writes Mr W. Hargreaves, of Tang'iteraia, Northern Wairoa, "'I always read your chatty notes, and, as the kingfisher has been very much in evidence lately, I have made up my mind to send vou a few lines concerning a strange occurrence that came under my notice. It was a icvf years ago, but the principal incident, made such an impression on my mind that T feel sure I will never forget it as long as tirifffishers come within the range of my vision I was employed at the time at Messrs Kempt-home, Prosser, and Co.'s chemical works at Westfield, and was one of areanS o f four m&n Engaged one morning 'in 'mixino-,' that is, making superphosphate. On" that morning the fumes given off from the sulphuric acid and other materials used in the nrocess were more than we could stand You can judge of our amazement when' on rushing to a door for a breath of fi4«h air, we saw about four pairs of kingfishers afc $» door, praotioaUyhaving a bath in the fumes, which fell from the doorway to the rail on which the birds were perching. The ' kingfishers bobbed their heads and shook them from side to side, and one or two would fly up

to the doorway us if "they wished to get into the thick of the fumes. They seemed, in fact, to be enjoying themselves heartily. These fumes are supposed to be poisonous. It is certain that no man can breathe them and not suffer. What, then, were the attractions offered by the fumes to the birds? Although I had been employed there for several years, I had never noticed the birds ■at"the performance before, nor, as far as I knew, has anyone else noticed it before or since. The conditions do not exist - now, as the mixing is done in another part of the building."