THE NATURALIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 3115, 26 November 1913, Page 68

THE NATURALIST.

IN TOUCH WITH NATURE. NOTES ON NATURAL HISTORY IN NEW ZEALAND. (By James Drummond, F.L.S., F.Z.8.) The latest volume of tue “ Proceedings ” of the Zoological Society of Loudon contains a paper by Air T. 11. Withers on a gigantic fossil barnacle, whose remains are found in the beds of the Miocene period on Matutapu island, Auckland Harbour. The valves of the largest specimens of barnacles known beiore these fossils were discovered by Professor James Park in lob 7 are an inch and a-half long, but the valve of the Auckland specimen is at least eight inches. Attention was drawn to the fossil by Sir James Hector at a meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Institute in 18b i', and Professor W. B. Benham dealt with it in 1903. Mr Withers, after examining the specimens collected by Professor Park, which were sent to him by Dr J. Allen Thomson, Palaeontologist to the Geological Survey in New Zealand, has come to the conclusion that the remains belong to a genus of barnacles named Hexeiasma. The name of the species, Aucklandicum, was given to it by Sir James Hector. From Te Awatea, on the Chatham Islands, Mr F. A. D. Cox writes a few notes on Iris experiences with the rook in the Old Country. The subject was suggested to him by a reference in this column to a wounded bittern using its bill as a weapon. He says that a wounded rook also can use its bill so effectively as to make it necessary to exercise caution in approaching the bird. There was a rookery on his father’s estate, Sand ford Park, about eight miles from Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. Every spring, after the nestlings had reached their full growth, and just before they took the wing, permission was given for a limited number to be shot, for the purpose of rook pies. Mr Cox’s father allowed tenant farmers to take part in the sport. One day one of their guests, a resident of London, went out for a day’s shooting, accompanied by Mr Cox and his brothers, all of whom were young boys. The stranger aimed at an old bird, and, in spite of the boys’ protests, shot it, saying that it was a young one. It was only winged, and when he tried to pick it up it gave him such a severe wound in the h{ind with its sharp bill that he was glad to drop it. When he asked the boys how they recognised that it was an old bird they pointed out that its bill had a white and worn appearance, caused by digging in the ground for worms and grubs, while the bills of the inexperienced young birds were smooth and black. Oh another occasion, during a nesting season, when the rooks were busy making their nests, Mr Cox’s attention was attracted by a great commotion amongst the birds. They seemed to come to a decision, and then all of them flew off to a nest, which they ruthlessly demolished. He believes that this strange action was caused by one of the rooks stealing materials from another bird’s nest, and that the demolition was a punishment for theft. While building operations were in hand, if a bird dropped a twig intended for the nest, no effort was made to regain it. tn every case a. fresh twig was found, although -that course entailed more trouble than if the lost twig had been picked up again. Twigs of larch trees were greatly favoured, Mr Cox’s father was annoyed at the birds for breaking

many twigs off splendid larch trees that grew near the house, and often drove them away, but they usually succeeded in stripping some of the trees. Dealing with other subjects, Mr Cox writes : —“ Many years ago the bittern was fairly plentiful on the Chathams here, but it gradually disappeared, and it is now more than 20 years since I saw or heard a bittern. In your column in August the Rev. W. J. Elliott, of Ashburton, stated that New Zealand ants make their nests on elevated patches of dry fern land. This is in accordance with mv observations on this island. I have never seen a nest under a stone or log; it is always in a position where there is a natural "hillock, which is used as a hill. The only species of ant I have seen here is a small black shiny one. I have never been stung by a native ant, but there is no doubt that the species here possess a sting. When a caterpillar gets amongst these insects they immediately attack and sting it. This kills it, or, at least, paralyses it, but I do not know whether they consume it or not. lam pleased to bo able to report that a few of the native pigeons are with us still. Our present home is close to native forest, and, as I often see three or four pigeons together, I believe that tehy are holding their own fairly well. We do not allow any to be killed. We observe this rule, not only because it is imposed by the law, but also because it would be a great misfortune if this beautiful bird became extinct. It is so tame that it would be sheer murder to shoot it.” The Chatham Island pigeon belongs to the same genus as the New Zealand wood-pigeon, but has developed minor characters which have placed it in a distinct species. Hemiphaga chathamensis has the same coppery purple and coppery green plumage, ink feet, and crimson eyes as Hemiphaga novae zealandiae, but its wing is somewhat longer, it has a good deal of grey on the back and on some of the wing feathers, and the underparts of the feathers known as tail-coverts are green. Mr H. B. Devereaux reports that a beautiful demonstration of natural afforestation may be seen at Waihi, where the rewa-rewa' (Knightia excelsa) and the Panax colensoi are invading the barren clay hills and slopes. Eighteen years ago these hills, like the surrounding plain, were covered by nothing but stunted teatree (Leptospernum scoparium) and bracken. Unsightly and arid patches now are hidden by groves of rewa-rewa and clumps of Panax colensoi. The seeds, Mr Devereaux says, were dispersed by the wind, as the seedlings appear on the western slopes and grow up them and over to the eastern slopes. Coprosma lucida is another species that is invading the hills near Waihi. Its orange drupes were a magnificent sight last summer. Some of the trees were unable to bear their burden without damage to themselves. One of the heaths, erica, usually grown in gardens —an Australian, Mr Devereaux believes —is rapidly invading plains and hills. It is another instance of wind dispersal. Mr D. Petrie states that the same plant is growing in the scrub around Okoroire. Mr Devereaux adds: —‘‘The denudation of the Waihi hills undoubtedly is due to the agency of the Maoris, as once they were covered by kauri trees. Captain Cook, in his report of the navigation of the Bay of Plenty, about 1790, states that he experienced great difficulty on account of the heavy bush fires on the coastal ranges.”