WILD LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND

Otago Witness, Issue 3382, 8 January 1919, Page 53

WILD LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND

By the Hon. G. M. Thomson, F.L.S.

NO. 27.—SHAGS AND CORMORANTS. "New Zealand waters," according to Captain Hutton, "contain more kinds of Cormorants, commonly called Shags, than the waters of any other part of the world. While we have fifteen species, there are only twelve in North and South America, seven in Asia, six in Africa, five in Australia, and three in Europe. l J!he large number of species in New Zealand is attritubted to two causes. First, this country was the meeting-place of two migratory streams, one from the Malay Archipelago and New Caledonia, the other from Patagonia. Secondly, Now Zealand has been broken uo into a number of islands, lying at considerable distances apart, and these have been isolated for a loifg time. "Cormorants ar© found all over the world, except in Polynesia east of New Guinea, the Louisiade- Archipelago, and New Caledonia. This is surprising, as fish, on which these birds feed, are very abundant round the Polynesian Islands. Another remarkable fact is that all Cormorants, from all parts of the world, are considered to belong to one genus—namely, Phalacrocorax, which, however, can. be divided into several sub-genera. Most Cormorants live amongst rocks on the seashore, but some prefer rivers, and live far inland, and these generally build their nests in trees, considerable numbers consorting together." One of the commonest of these birds in New Zealand.is the Black Shag (P. carbo), which is a very widely aistributed species in most parts of the world except South America and the western coast of North America, where it, is replaced by an allied species. It is the bird particularly known as the Common Cormorant in Britain, where it was formerly used and trained in catching fish, and where it is still kept occasionally for sport. In China and Japan it has been so employed from time immemorial, as a regular business. In K.. Hakluyt's Voyages there occurs a narrative entitled "Certaine reports of the province of China learned through the Portugals there imprisoned, and chiefly by the relation of Galeotto Perera, a Gentleman of good credit, that lay prisoner in that Countrey many yeeres," in which an interesting account of fishing with cormorants is given. The date of the narrative is about 1678. I transcribe it for the benefit of my readers. "I have seene in this river a pretie kinde of fishing, not to be omitted in my opinion, and therefore I will set it downe. The king hath in many rivers good store of barges full of sea-crowes that breeds, are fedde and doe die therein, in certain cages, allowed monthly a certaine provision of rise. -These barges the king bestoweth upon his greatest magistrates, giving to some two, to some three of them as he thinketh good, to fish therewithall after this manner. At the houre appointed to fish, all the barges are brought together in a circle, where the river is shalow, and the crowes tyed together under the wings are let leape downe into the water, some under, some above, worth looking upon: each one as he hath filled his bagge, goeth to his own barge and emptieth it, which done he returneth to fish againe. Thus having taken good store of fish, they set the crowes at libertie, and do suffer them to fish for their owne pleasure. There were in that c:tie' where I was, twentie barges at the least of these aforesayd crowes. I went almost every day to see' them, yet could I never be thoroughly satisfied to see so strange a kind of fishing." The skin of the throat of the coromant is dilitable, so as to form a pouch for the food. This is the "bagge" that the writer refers to, which the bird fills with the fish that it catches, and then disgorges to its owner. In Hein's work on Japan, which was published in' 1884, there is a brief reference to the custom in that country. "The .otherwise shy and cautious U, or cormorant, whose evil smell and dark grey plumage do not exactly recommend it, here finds protection, and is everywhere a third party in the society. It is a particularly* dexterous diver and fisher, which by no means confines its hunting ground to inland waters, but can also appreciate sea-fish. Like crows and herons, it loves to spend the breeding season in colonies upon trees. I found it trained and employed in catching fish only to a limited extent in Owari and Mino, which fact may be due to its great uncleanness, a quality which the Chinaman, less sensitive in such matters, more easily overlooks." Perhaps the name Üboat, given by the Germans to the submarines, Is derived from the Japanese name for the Cormorant, which is such an expert diver; it may only be a contraction for Unter-see. It is 'interesting to know that this bird, so common in New Zealand, for which few persons have a good word, and which is anathema to the trout-fishers, is appreciated in other countries of the wtorld. Its taming; and utilisation in the service of man is one of the mo3t interesting cases on record of the domestication of a wild animal. The apostle James says : "Every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind" —a very general statement, which cannot be interpreted too literally, however. I wonder if he knew, and had in his mind as he wrote, that the people of far distant Cathay had tamed cormorants. The* Black Shag is well named, for except for a little patch of white on the throat, and another on the thigh, the plumage is a glossy black, with a blue, green, and bronze shine on the feathers. The colours are often beautiful on the living bird, but the dead birds are objectionable things to handle, and have a most disagreeable smell. "This species is found not only on the seacoast, but also on rivers and lakes far

away from the sea. "It feeds chiefly on fish, and it swims and dives very well, never, however, using its wings when in the water, but only its feet. When engaged in fishing it may sometimes be seen swimming with its head under water, no doubt for the better observation of its prey. It can remain under water for about hali a minute, in which time it travels 60 or 70 yards. On coming out of the water it generally commences to dry its feathers, stretching out its quivering wings and preening them with its bill until everything is once more to its own satisfaction."

These birds perch with ease on rocks, posts, and branches of trees, but are somewhat ungainly on ground, and walk with difficulty. They are strangely suspicious when tfiey are approached by sea, especially if anyone carrying a gun or stick is in evidence; then they sway the body about for some seconds until they make up their minds to fly. Their flight is strong, steady, and rapid once they get fairly started, and at a distance a number of shags when flying may be mistaken for ducks by inexperienced persons. The nests are built in caves, or on ledges on rocks N and cliffs, but those which breed inland build on trees and bushes, a number usually consorting together to form a " shaggery," or rookery, as it is called. The nest ie a mass of sticks, grass, rushes, seaweed, and the like, according to situation. In this the three or four eggs are laid. These are bluish-white in colour and about 2£in long. Incubation lasts about four weeks.

In inland rookeries the -white-throated shas; (P. brevirostris) often nests along with the black shag. This is a smaller species than the other, though not unlike it in general colour and appearance, and. its egg is rather less than 2in long. It is never met with on the coast, but in estuaries and up the rivers. The spotted shag (P. punctatus) is common on the coast, but never occurs up the rivers. The bird is grey and black-spotted in colour. Hutton says of it: " The breeding season is from the middle of October to early summer, and the bird lays three eggs. Both "sexes sit on the eggs. The young are bqrn blind and almost naked, ■but soon become covered with down, which is dark brown above and whitish below. None of the ocean shags goes far from land, and they never dive from the air, but always first settle on the water. They swim low, the tail being about level with the surface. They rise on the wing from the water with difficulty, having to make three or four leaps with the body nearly upright. When changing the feednizground they fly in companies, usually at a low elevation, keeping just above the curl of the wave.. They follow the shoals of fish, and their great power of diving ensures a plentiful supply of food. After feeding they repair to the cliffs and ba.sk in the sun."

Though there are 15 species in New Zealand, there are only four common ones—namely, the three already named, which are those met with in Otago, and the pied shag (P. varius), which is the common coast shag of the North Island. The' others are rare or localised species, found chiefly in the outlying islands.