OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS COLUMN

Otago Witness, Issue 3084, 23 April 1913, Page 72

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS COLUMN

FOR SENIORS AND JUNIORS. (Conducted by Magister, to whom all communications must bo addressed.) [Magister will be glad to receive Nature note®, marked papers containing educational articles, diagrams, details of eiperiuients, etc., of scholastic Interest to teachers and pupils. Correspondents must use only one side of the paper, and whether using a pen name or not, must send both same and ADDRESS.] AVICULTURAL PERIODICALS!. “ Makinihi ” has lent me several copies of the “ Avicultural Magazine” and ‘‘Bird Notes,” the latter being-the journal of the Foreign Bird Club; any aviculturist will find both periodicals lull of interesting matter. The providing of bird-food is evidently a widely-recognised and lucrative business, as the fohowing advertisement shows:—“ Wasps’ grubs alive or cured 2s lb, 31b 5s 6d; handpicked live ants’ eggs 3s lb, 31b 7s fid; live white gentles 1000 7d 3s lb; large mealworms 650 Is, 1300 2s, 5s lb; ants’ eggs Is fid and 2s fid lb; dried flies, 2s fid lb; silkworm pupaa Is fid lb; flaked yolk of egg. 4s lb; carrot meal, 9d lb; crissel, 4d lb; pea meal, bean meal, and oatmeal, 2d lb, best insectivorous food, Is fid lb; egg bread, Is fid lb; lark and thrush food, fid lb; cuttlefish, Is lb.” A Belgian contracts to supply finest quality worms at fixed prices, all the year through, in 41b boxes, at 17s. “The Emu ” is the journal of the Australian Ornithologists’ Union. Does any reader take it? Would it be possible to publish in New Zealand a journal devoted to our native birds, and to canary and other cage birds? A SCHOOL REFERENCE LIBRARY. More titan once I have suggested that every school should have a good library, and that a part of this library should consist of reference books. During the holidays I was asked what reference books I recommend, and I agreed to make out a list. Hero it is, and add or subtract as you may thing advisable: — I. The Bible, with references and a concordance. 2 Shakespeare’s plays, say the Leopold edition (about 3s fid). 3. “ Shakespeare.” (Macmillan’s Literature Primer, by Professor Dowden. Is). 4. “Shakespeare: Life and Work,” by Furnivall (Cassell, Is). 5. An encyclopaedia. Nelson’s or Everyman’s. (Nelson’s about 30s; Everyman’s about 12s). 6. A good dictionary. Funk and Wagnail’s nr Webster's International (cad; about four guineas); The Twentieth Century (3s fid); Nelson’s, Macmillan’s, Chambers’s. or Blackie’s (Is). The teacher should have The Concise Oxford Dictionary (about 4s) and Skeat’s Etymological Dictionary (about the same). 7. The New Zealand Year Book, and any Government reports thal can be procured from the M.P. for the district. 8. ’ Hay,ell’s Annual (4s) or the Daily Mail Year Book (Is), or both. Occasionally it will bo advisable to get a Whitaker’s Almanack (about 3s fid—not the incomplete Is edition). 9. “ Smith’s Smaller Classical Dictionary,” is the older one, revised up to December, 1910. This at Is net (Is 3d hero) is, as far as I know, unequalled. This and the five following I strongly recommend. 10. Dictionary of Non-Classical Mythology ” —Everyman’s (Is net). 11. Classical Atlas; do. 12. Literary and Historical Atlas of Europe ; do. 13. Literary and Historical Atlas of Asia; do.. 14. Literary and Historical Atlas of America; do. (I do not think that “ Africa ” is published yet). 15. Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases. I let Longman’s newly-revised edition at 2s fid net. v 16. An Idiomatic English Dictionary (Is); Nelson’s Encyclopaedic Library. 17. A Dictionary of Dates, 3 vols; do. 18. A Dictionary of Quotations; do. 19. A Dictionary of Musical Terms; do. 20. A complete set of Nelson's Highroads of History (9 or 10 volumes). 21. A complete set of Nelson’s Highroads of Geography. Five volumes are out, and one or two to follow, I think. 23. Plants of Now Zealand (12s fid). 24. Animals of New Zealand (12s fid). 25. Thompson’s Introductory Class Books of Botany for New Zealand Schools (Is fid, panor covers). 26. Geology of New Zealand, bv Professor Marshall (4sj. 27. The Geography of New Zealand, by Professor Marshall (4s). 23. The Geology of New Zealand (Professor Park; 12s fid). 29. A History of Now Zealand; but I hardly know which one to recommend, for. as far as I know, wo haven't a good one for New Zealand schools. 30. The Growth of Empire (Murray), or The Romance of Empire (Arnold); each about ss. 31. New Zealand Neuroplera (15s) 32. New Zealand Entomology (15s). 33. Hccken’s History of Otago (7s fid). 34. England’s Sea Story, or The Nelson Navy Book, each giving a connected outlino of naval history (5s each). Perhaps 1 should end here, for my list may appear to some a; one already too formidable; but I know that one of cur teachers has these in the school library or available in his own. It seems to mo that youngsters are turned out of our schools at too much of a dead level, and that if we had good libraries in our schools we might cater for the tastes of one or two hero and ill ere who are going to develop a strong individuality, an individuality which might he helped in a way wo little think of. On glancing through this list I find 1 have omitted referring to any local history. Some schools should he specially interested in “Gold Discoveries in Otago,” others in “ Reminiscences of the Early Settlement of Dunedin and South Otago,” others in the “ History of Oamaru,” and others in “Pioneer History of the Mataura Talley.” while all Southland schools .should ho specially intorrsted in “ Muriliiku and the Southern Islands.” Every school, I think, ought to have, as they come out, the volumes of “ Historic Records of New Zealand.” And so I could go on; hut I think I had better hi op. or f shall bo prolonging my list indefinitely.

Now, what local resident, interested in

educational matters, will help the teacher to establish a good reference library, useful not only to pupils but to the district generally? METEOROLOGICAL NOTES. Wc nave to-day notes from Wyndham, Ranfurly, Ross, and Wairoa (H. 8.), and comparisons aro interesting. The minimum. temperature of Wairoa, 46dcg.; of Ross, 39deg.; of Ranfurly, 22deg.; and of 35dcg. at Wyndham South, can be taken as illustrating effect of latitude and of an inland and a coastal position upon temperature. The rainfall at Ross, 14in, and that of less than Sin at Ranfurly also toll a story. Other points too can be worked out. Has Air White a self-registering maximum and minimum thermometer? I advise all observers to get one of these. I fancy that the Director of the Meteorological Department will supply a set of instruments to any reliable observer, provided that the district has not already a recorder in the neighbotahood. What is the area of the Mataura Valley? What might be regarded as the average downfall during the flood time? How long did the downfall last? What would the downfall represent in tons and in gallons? I was told that, at one place in the Mataura Valley the downfall in less than 24 hours was 4.5 in. Is that so? Is there any authentic record of that amount? What was the record in the North-East Valley at the time of Axe cloud-burst last Christmas 12 months? I have the meteorological records of the dominion for February, and I advise all interested in weather records to get the monthly synopsis sent out from the Meteorological Observatory. The rainfall for the North Island varies from 407 points (100 points to an inch) to 9; and for t'.io f?outh Island £64 points (Otira) to 35 (Stephen Island). Ross (6£B), and Puysegur Point (676) arc among tho wettest spots in our island. Tho heaviest daily rainfall was 250 points. None of those, you see, are so heavy as what lias been reported in the Mataura Valley last month. Watch for the dominion report for April. I’iiink for a, moment of the devastation caused by the 4jin rainfall in the Mataura basin. What would the result have been if it had amounted to 35. n! That is the record for Crolmmhurst. in the Blackball Range (where is that?) in Now South Wales 1 In the Commonwealth Year Book there aro 15 records of 20 inches or over. These are something like downfalls. Ranfurly, April 7. Dear “ Magister,” —The undermentioned are the meteorological returns for the month of March: —Maximum temperature in screen, 75 degrees on the 7th and 16th; minimum temperature in screen, 23 dgrecs on the 24th; minimum temperature on ground. 22 degrees on the 24th; average maximum in screen, 65.03 degrees; average minimum in screen, 42.19 degrees; average minimum on ground, 39.64 degrees. Rainfall: 291 points on 14 days, maximum fall, 197 points on the 28th; rainfall from January to date, 725 points on 31 days. Frost occurred on two nights in the screen, and on the ground on six nights.—Yours truly. A. W. Rorerts. ROSS, April 4. Dear “Magister,”—The following is the Ross weather record for March: —Thermometer (9 a.m.) —Maximum fifideg., minimum 50dcg, mean fildeg; during night—maximum 58deg, minimum 39cleg, mean 47dcg (self-registering thermometer). Barometer (9 a.m.) —Maximum 30.77 in, minimum 29.41 in, mean 30.02 in. Rainfall —Total 14.10 in, highest daily (27th) 3.15iu, number of days 23. Wind —10 days E., 3 days N.E., 1 day S.W., 3 days N.; other days —usual land-andsoa breezes. Weather — Half dull, cold, wot; half bright, fresh; happy to say no floods in the immediate neighbourhood.—Yours truly, W. Winchester. WYNDHAM SOUTH, April 3. Dear “Magister,” —The meteorological records for the month of March are as follow: —Rainfall 6.77 in, on 25 days; maximum rainfall 1.46 in, on the 28th. The disastrous flood in the Mataura Valley on the 28ch was preceded by 48 hours steady rain, 2.66 in being recorded. From noon on the 26th until noon on tho 28th, the barometer fell 8 points. Very little wind accompanied tho downfall, changing from N., on the forenoon of the 2'th, to S., in the afternoon, and dying away in the evening} Tho thermometer at noon stood at 62tleg. The prevailing wind was from the IV. Only five calm days were recorded. Maximum temperature in the shade, 74deg on the 7th and 16th ; minimum temperature in the shade, 35deg on the 23rd and 24th; moan temperature in the shade (1 p.m.j, 57.1 deg. —Yours truly, i J. White. WAIROA, 11.8., April 7. Dear “Magister,”—l forward the following weather records for March: —Rainfall —On 10th .05, 11th .26, 12th .56, 15th .23, 22nd .29; 23rd .05, 24th .01, 23th .03, 29th .25. 30th .31, 31st .18: total, 2.22 m on II days. Total for 1913 to March 31 : 4.16 in, on 23 days; (otal for corresponding period of 1912; 12.70 in. on 35 days. March, 1907, 3.29 in; March 1908. 12.46 in; March. 19109, 5.25 in; March, 1910. 12.46 in : March, 1911. 6.33 in; March, 1912, 4.78 in; March, 1913, 2.22 in. Temperature —Minimum 46deg, on 26th; maximum 86<leg, on 10th; average of minima 58.4 deg, average of maxima 80. fid eg; average at 9 a.m. 67.3 deg, average at 1 p.m. 75.7 deg. Barometric Pressure —Minimum 30-ldeg, on 13th, 14th, and 28th; maximum 30.63, on 31st.—I am, etc., John Bowie, is.a... Headmaster. CORRESPONDENCE AND NOTES. “ Makinihi ” sends a letter on birdcollecting for London millionaires. What first macks him prick tip his ears was a paragraph in the Personal Notes of February 26 or thereabouts. The name .Sinclair seemed familiar, and lie soon satisfied himself that tire gentleman is the same professional collector referred to so often in the Home periodicals dealing with Aviculture, In a covering note “Makinihi” save that ho thinks teachers should supply our columns with more notes, seeing that they admit the value of the columns to them. The following is a portion of tho note: “I am glad to see Air Parr contributing to the column. _ Bird-photography is intensely interesting. 1 was thinking of giving you a note or two on methods, but I am prepared to let Mr Parr have the latest work on this interesting subject. I am disappointed with the school teachers in general. In your column they have a unique opportunity of making a

complete survey of the extent and numbers of our native birds as wed as the acclimatised b.rds —their migrations, c-to. However, although, 1 have frequently heard various teachers of my acquaintance speak loudly in praise of the help they receive troni your column, 1 don't see any contributions troin them m return, iiy-the-byc, on t’nday, about 4.15 p.m., I noticed a pair ot fan tails, a pied and a black, a t tlie corner ot George and Hanover streets. —Hi diaste, yours MakixiHl. 1 hope some who have prepared admittedly good notes and illustrations on Mature subjects, as a result of Makinihi’s letter, wilt send them in for wider use. I happened the other day to meet some teachers who for weeks or months at a time hardly have an opportunity to compare notes with anyone else. What a pleasure it ought to be for more favourably situated teachers to help those less favourably placed. Just try it.

1 have to thank one of our Dunedin teachers, who is successful above the averago, for some, notes on the clematis, and some conventional adaptations for filling borders, triangles, squares, and hexagons, bos.dcs two or tnree of a freenand character. The drawings have been reproduced for our columns, but I am just wondering whether 1 shall not hold them over until tae clematis blooms again, for, through t arious reasons, the blocks were not ready until the flower had passed away. I have had an idea that I should like to produce a series of floral designs for each month of the year, with a few notes, of course. What do my readers think? What native and introduced flowers lend themselves to simplo but effective designs for May? Will readers let mo know what they think of my proposal? Better still, who will agree to take the responsibility for a month of the 12?

Woodhaugh, April 7. Dear “ Mag;ster,”—Some- time ago I read that New Zealand was to bo honoured by tho accession of Mr Douglas A. Sinclair, aged 33 years, to our already long list of settlers, intending settlers, ' and pseudo settlors. Mr Sinclair was described as a professional orchid hunter who had decided to settle in Taranaki. In reading the Times of about .February 26 I read that this gentleman had left England on January 16, en route for New Zealand. Further on I read that this so-called intending colonist was commissioned by tho Hon. N. 0. Rothschild and Sir Isaac Samuels to study tho bird life of New Zealand! It is well known that for years Mr Rothschild has had collectors at work all over tho world making collections of rare birds and animals. Twenty years ago his collection of live New Zealand birds at Tring Park, England, was tho finest in tho world. Probably his supply has run out. and the professional collector has been commissioned to fill up the gaps or make a final collection for his employer. Doubtless, in tho lessons of tho dodo and the great auk, Mr Sinclair’s emp'oyers keenly recognise tho increasing monetary value of specimens of such a unique and so-soon-to-be-cxtinct an avifauna as ours. Is the paid servant of tho magnates now settled in Taranaki, or is he “studying” our native birds? Is the Government aware of his "presence ? Tho money of millionaires can do much, and should their requirements necessitate a slaughter of our native birds wo have no guarantee that their servant will not bo allowed a free hand to do as ho likes. Is tho Minister of Internal Affairs—in whose tender care our native birds aro placed—aware of tho arrival and objects of the servant of these leading millionaires? Are our sanctuaries to be placed at his disposal? We colonials are not allowed to possess a living specimen of our native birds, neither paradise duck, native pigeon, kaka, parakeet, tui, korimako, grey warbler, fantail, tomtit, native lark, robin, etc. However, it is strange to note the discrimination shown to distinguished visitors who arc permitted to depart with whatever specimens they wish. What about Lord Kitchener and the kiwis ? What about tho kakapo sold in London some .months ago ? It is a wellknown fact that on the discovery of the last notornis a collector was immediately despatched from Wellington to obtain a specimen or specimens for Mr Rothschild. I believe that the Government is sincere in its endeavours to conserve our native birds, for I saw that stops were to be taken to arrest tho possessor of, or demand • the return of, some smuggled kiwis which reached Sydney some time ago, but I have not seen how the business terminated. Has the possessor boon prosecuted, or the birds returned to New Zealand and liberated? If not, why not ? Is there one law for tho rich and another for tho poor ? During tho past week we read in the daily press of a white kiwi being captured by the employees of a innholder in the Taupo district. However, we are told that the Government stepped in and confiscated the bird for presentation to Newtown Park, Wellington. No word of prosecuting tho guilty captor or captors for being illegally in possession of protected (so-called native birds 1 Is our Native ]Jird Protection Act. like so many others, a humbug? lam well aware that an active illegal export trade ip carried on in live (as well as stuffed) specimens of our native birds. Some two years ago a largo number of parakeets from Stewart Island passed through Dunedin. Whither bound ? It seems to mo that our Government adopts, in some respects, a similar attitude in regard to native birds ns to our fur seals. A Now Zealander is liable to a fine of £SO per .seal for killing seals; but our scaling grounds are kept a close preserve for every foreign whaler, vagrant sealer, or pseudoJapanese explorer.—l am, etc., Makixihi.