MUTTON BIRDS

Otago Witness, Issue 3556, 9 May 1922, Page 23

MUTTON BIRDS

A BAD SEASON. Messrs Cecil Hazlett and Jules Tapper, who are making their annual visit to tne Titi or Muttonbird Islands, report that the present muttonbird harvest is the worst that the Maoris have experienced for some vears (says the Southland Times). lhe birds both in quantity and condition are not up to the standard of the ljist throe or four vears Many young birds are to bo found dead in their burrows. Such a condition of affairs, says Captain Walter Joss, a veteran who has seen 80 seasons pass, must be entirely due to the lack of small fish on which the parent birds feed. The Maoris this week have commenced torching operations, that is, they _go out late at night and in the early morning with torches the light from which paraallv blinds the young bird which comes out ot its burrow to exercise its wings and to rid itself of its fluffy feathers before commencing its long migratory flight to unknown lands. The parent birds have already taken tlieir departure and it is one of the mvsteries to naturalists how tiio young birds are able to locate their own. way and direction. Owing to the condition of the young muttonbirds this season their flight and departure will be an early one from the islands. The general health of the Maori community is of the best. One of the surprises to Messrs Hazlett and Tapper was the large number of tins to be seen— more especially in the locality of the Breaksea Islands. They were feeding on the small black berries on the wae a plant with large round leaves which is to be found on all the Titi Islands. Tha tuis were in hundreds and appeared to be very tame. The inquisitive weka was also plentiful and kakas and pigeons were also to be seen. During their cruise Messrs Hazlett and Tapper were lucky in getting amongst a school of groper which gave them fine sport and in less than two hours they landed 36 of them. When_ beaded and cleaned the catch totalled 6701 b.