AMONG THE MUTTONBIRDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2929, 4 May 1910, Page 11

AMONG THE MUTTONBIRDS.

A SCIENTIST'S INVESTIGATIONS. | (Feou Our Oot Correspondent.) ; INVERCARGILL, April 27. i Mr James Drummond, F.L.S., F.Z.S., a Christchurch naturalist, returned to Invercargill this afternoon after spending a week amongst the Maoris on the muttonbird islands, off Stewart Island. Mr Drummond's object was to observe the habits of the muttonbird petrel, which scientists know as Puffinees Griseus. He went to an island officially called Entrance Island, but commonly called Bragg's j Island, and bearing the Maori name of Tia Island. It lies at the etnrance to Port Adventure, and is the home of thou- j sands of muttonbirds. Mr Drummond has j collected a good deal of information in regard to the breeding and nesting habits j of this petrel, and had many opportunities

of seeing iJi© young birds at a sts£»e in ] their career when they are just ready j to take part in the migrating movements of the species. He reports that the birds are in splendid condition this season. They are present in somewhat exceptionally large numbers. Unfortunately, however, I rats have appeared on Tia Island this year i for the first time, and have already made : depredations on the birds. Mr John Bragg, the "head man" of the party of *muttonbirders on that island, has liberated five cats to deal with the rats. A few years ago he liberated in another place a few native woodhens with the same object, but although they have increased wonderfully they do not seem to have attacked the pest. Mr Drummond intends to publish some j of the results of his observations in New • Zealand' and English journak. I