WILD LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND

Otago Witness, Issue 3399, 7 May 1919, Page 55

WILD LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND

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

No. 43.—THE PLOVER FAMILY. (Continued.)

The stilts are extraordinarily longlegged birds, of which Hutton records three species as occurring in New Zealand. Evans states that the British species (Himantopus candidus) reaches New Zealand in the northern winter, but apparently he is wrong in this The white-headed" stilt (H. leucocephalus), a species which ranges from the Moluccas, through Australia to New Zealand, "is a singularly elegant and graceful bird in its movements. It is found in small flocks of from six to 20 in number, and may occasionally be seen running along the margin of a shallow pool or stream, or wading into its waters, feeding on insects or small molluscs. Gould, in "The Birds of Australia," says they run about with great celerity, displaying many graceful, lively actions; their flight, on the contrary, is heavy and inelegant, and their long legs streaming out behind them give a very grotesque appearance. While on the wing they continually utter a, plaintive piping cry, as if of distress, but which they seldom emit when on the ground. The head and under surface of the body are white, and a white collar runs round the back of the neck; the back of the neck, back and wings are of a glossy greenish black; the bill black;. the eye red; while the legs and feet are a deep pink flesh-colour, which becomes red after death. Mr Potts says that this bird makes a slight nest of grass, often by the edges of lagoons, five or six nests generally being found together. It lays five, or "rarely six, eggs, and the nesting season commences in October. These eggs are yellowish brown, spotted all over "with brownish black, and are about long. "Mr Potts once saw"a fight between the old birds and their last year's young ones for the possession of the old nest. "At length the old birds were victorious, after two or three days' contention, during which time the struggle was carried on by cries, menacing gestures, and the fluttering of wings, the birds often leaping over each other. From the long legs of the birds, their postures and actions in this quarrel seemed very grotesque. The younger and defeated pair retired to about half a chain distant, where they successfully reared a family; this, too, in sight of the passengers on a roadway." These birds appear to migrate within the islands, but the extent and course of their migrations have not been recorded. The pied stilt (H. picatus) differs from the last species in wanting the white collar on the neck.

The black stilt (H. melas) is found only in New Zealand; its plumage is entirely black. "It breeds early in the season, on sandy river-beds. It is stated that the labour of nidification is very trifling. Sometimes a nest is made of grass, but more frequently a slight depression in a sandy spit answers all requirements as a nesting place. The nest is neveT very far from water. The female lays three or four eggs, which are yellowish brown, spotted all over with blackish brown, and the young can run almost as soon as they are' hatched. When' disturbed they conceal themselves behind stones or some other shelter in the most artful manner. The parent birds exhibit the utmost assiduity in attempting to lead intruders from their eggs or young, and their numerous cunning devices are carried on with surprising cleverness and perseverance. When walking or running over the flats, or wading in shallow water, they are graceful birds; but, just as in the other species, their flight, with their long legs stretched out behind them, is clumsy." Their cry, when on the wing, is something like the bark of a small dog. We now come to a very interesting and peculiar bird, the Avocet (Recurvirostra rubricollis), which resembles the stilts in general appearance, but differs in the remarkable up-curbed beak. This long bill is elastic and whalebone like, and is doubtless fonned to enable the bird to procure its food in some snecial manner; it scoops it up sideways in a very odd fashion. The European representative of this species, which is very similar in structure and habits, is sometimes called the cobbler's awl or shoe-horn, from this peculiar beak.

The colours of the bird are striking. The head and upper half of the neck are chestnut, and this extends down on the front of the neck. The middle of the wings, quills, and shoulders are black, and the rest of the plumage white. The eye is read, the bill black, and the legs greyishblue. It is a bird which once seen would never be' forgotten. It frequents the shallow parts of lakes, inlets of the sea, and the muddy banks of streams, often wading knee-deep in the water, and readily swimming when .necessity requires it so to do. The toes, which are partiaHy webbed, enable the bird to pass over the soft surfaces of the ground with far greater ease than could be effected by any of the sandpipers, whose toes are divided to their base. It frequently associates with stilts. The eggs are from two to four in number, and are of a pale yellowish brown marked with brown and black spots. There is very little made in the way of a nest; frequently the eggs are laid on the bare sand or among-shingle. Of the great cosmopolitan genus Gallinago, or true snipes, three species occur in the New Zealand region, but it is doubtful how far they -are specifically distinct, and Avhether some or all of them are not extinct by this time. They are probably all forms of one species, G. aucklandica, which, by isolation in separate islands, have developed in slightly different directions, especially as to colour. The typo species was found in the Auckland and Antipodes Islands. Dr Evans says it was also met with in the main islands of New Zealand: but I have no confirmation of this opinion. G.

huegeli was confined to the very small area of the Snares, and it is incenceivable to me how it can possibly have escaped extermination long ago at the hands of the numerous sealing parties, which have made that island their headquarters for so many years. Similarly U. pusilla was confined to the Chatham Islands. _ Hutton says :- ' 'The Auckland Island snipe are tame, and by no means numerous. They fly badly, and only for a short distance, and rarely more than 20 yards, yet they, attempt, on rising, the same zig-zag dashes which make their European congeners so difficult to shoot. After alighting they generally run some distance.' Owing to their inability to escape by flight their chance of survival on islands visited by men and dogs was very small.

No fewer than six species of plover-like birds have been introduced into NeAv Zealand, but none have established themselves.

In 1875 Mr R. Bills brought out some golden plover (Charadrius pluvialis) for the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, and tney were apparently sold and distributed among the members; but there is no report as to their future occurrence. Two years later the "Wellington Society introduced four, but there is no further record of them. The Otago Society made an attempt to introduce them in 1897. Out of 22 birds originally caught only five reached the ship's side at London, and two were landed at Dunedin. These were liberated at Clifton, but at once disappeared. This species, like so many others which the various acclimatisation societies have spent money in trying to introduce, is a migratory form, breeding in the North Temperate and Arctic regions, and,passing_ south to winter in South America, Africa, India, Australia, and, according to Dr Evans, in New Zealand, but this latter reference is apparently wrong. At any rate it is time and money wasted to attempt the introduction of migrants which normally traverse the tropics each year from one temperate zone to another. The lapwing, peewit, or green plover (Vanellus crista tus), is a beautiful bird, familiar to many who, like myself, hail from the Old Country. Like many other desirable species, however, it is a migrant, hence the numerous attempts to naturalise it have failed. In 1872 the. Auckland Society liberated 36 birds, but nothing more was ever heard of them. Another attempt was made in 1875, when 36 more were shipped, but only four were landed, and three of them died soon after. Probably the society obtained some more in later years, for in the annual report for 1909 it is stated that " the green plover has disappeared." Mr James Drummond, writing in 1913, in the Lyttelton Times states that " a few lapwings were liberated in the Auckland district in 1870, and information supplied to me in 1907 shows that the effort was successful in •several northern districts. The experiment has given great satisfaction to the settlers. The birds are credited with killing large numbers of wireworms and 'grubs in the spring." I think Mr Drummond was misinformed by his correspondents, who were probably writing about some other bird, for on October 2, 1915, he asks: " Has' anybody ' seen a lapwing in New Zealand during the past 10 years?" In 1873 the Canterbury Society imported nine of these birds through Mr C. Bills, and at once liberated them: but they were not seen again. The Otago Society purchased 36 birds in 1897, managed to ship 22, but only landed five in Dunedin. These were liberated at Clifton, and were seen flying about the fields for some time; then they disappeared.. In 1900 50 birds were purchased only 14 were shipped in London, and eight arived in Dunedin. In the following year it is reported that "no young birds have been seen. Those liberated on Goodwood Estate did not survive many days, and some of their skeletons were picked up soon after they were liberated, the birds having been killed either by weasels or by hawks." The Government introduced a lot in 1904. Of these 35 were handed over to the Wellington Society, and were liberated, but nothing more was heard of them. The Westland Society received 1 30, which '" were liberated on the Upper Kohatahi. They all took wing and landed on the opposite side of Doctor's Creek." Apparently that was the last seen of them. In 1867 the Otago Society liberated two specimens of the grey plover or Australian plover (Squatarola helvetica), but the birds were not seen again. Again in 1881 they obtained eight more, which were liberated on the Lauder Station, Manuherikia. They were observed for some time afterwards, and one was shot by mistake. Then they disappeared. The species is only a spring and autumn migrant in the British Islands. It breeds within the Arctic Circle, rind passes through Central and Southern Europe on migration, wintering in South Africa, India, South China, the islands of the Malay Archipelago, and Australia. In the Western Hemisphere it is known to winter in Cuba and some parts of South America. It is a pity that w T hen our different societies turned out their birds they did ■not think of putting a small mark on them: they might in this way have learned something as to what came of all their lost specimens. Two specimens of the Australian curlew (Numenius cyanopus) were received bv the Canterbury Society in 1868, but there is no record a.? to what was done with them. Similarly in 1892 the Wellington Society received two specimens of the sand grouse (Pterocles bicinetus) from Mr Hamilton, of Teneriffe, but there is no further record of thorn. Lastly the Otago Societv liberated eight specimens of the pintail sand 'grouse (Pterochlurus alchates) at the foot of the Rock and Pillar Range in 1882, but the birds wero not seen again.