SOUTHLAND NATURALISTS' SOCIETY

Southland Times, Issue 17607, 23 March 1914, Page 2

SOUTHLAND NATURALISTS' SOCIETY

AX AUTUMN OUTIXG. The Society’s concluding field-day for the season was carried out on Wednesday, March IS. The Waihopai scenic reserve was the locality chosen for the fixture, and a large number of members and their friends met at the rendezvous at the appointed hour. In order to refresh and fortify the company against the fatigues of their afternoon’s studies it was thought advisable to partake of a billy of tea. With a minimum of delay, thanks to convenient corporation fireplaces, an excellent brew was speedily prepared. There was, perhaps, 3ust a suspicion of oxide of iron in the colour of the beverage, but, in any case. Iron, is well known to be beneficial to the system. and the matter of colour is one of mere individual fancy. •The tea having been all disposed of, the president, Mr R, Gibb, led the party to various parts of the reserve, pointing out matters of interest in the plants met with and replying to the many questions of those in search of information. The bush was found to be well supplied with native birds. Several tuts were heard, and the bellbird was quite common, its pleasing notes being heard on every hand. The brown creeper, rather a rare bird now, was seen, and the delicate trilling song of the grey warbler was several times noted. Fantails and tits and the tiny rifleman tvere also in evidence, and it is probable that with proper supervision in J the way, of prevention from molestation by the boy with the catapult, these interesting natives would increase and become a marked and appreciated feature of the reserve’s attractions. But, in addition to these species which seem in a fair way to keep their footing if unmolested, there are many kinds which cannot compete with the introduced birds, and with the changed

conditions brought about by settlement and the breaking up of the larger forest areas. The robin, the parakeets, the wekas, the saddleback, the crow, the kea, the pigeon and the kaka; these can only be found now In comparatively out of the Way localities. Why should not an aviary for some of these be established in tUe Walhopai reserve ? There are spots where, at no great cost, a suitable enclosure could be erected for both land and water birds. Without question such an aviary would add greatly lo the interests of the reserve, and at the same time u really valuable service would have been rendered ’in preserving specimens of our native birds, which at present 'seem doomed to extinction. The plant life of the reserve, though not very varied, was found to include much of interest. It was suggested that ;i great many native plants might with advantage be introduced. Beyond the initial trouble of planting these w.oubl require little attention, and would certainly increase* the scenic value of the bush. For instance, such species as the cabbage tree, particularly the broadleaved kind, the manuka, any of our -10 or 30 kinds of veronica, the olearias or daisy frees, the cassinias, the inaka, the native brooms, the ma'akouri, the Kararmi. the hog pine, the celery pine, the red pine, the "gum" tree tnolhopanax), the seven linger! the white maple and. the snowberry; all these and many others could be introduced without difficulty. The chief forest tree of the locality is the white pine and of this tit ere are some tine examples. An unusual style of seedbearing is displayed by this pine and some of its allies. The fruit is of a double nature, being a shining blue-black berry set tip on a larger bright red one. The latter however, is the least essential, consisting only of sweet lleshy matter, which is eaten readily hy birds, the real seed being the smaller nlaek body. Another large tree-which is plentiful is the pukaku. This, unlike the white- pine, is not a conifer, but a true flowering plant, its white blossoms, thong small, being very pretty. Just now the fruit, a hard stone enclosed in an oval black skin, is beginning to ripen. Of the smaller trees and shrubs the ribbonwood is conspicuous, and there are many specimens which in Hie same plant exhibit both the immature and mature stages, these being so different that if seen separately no one would suspect that they were one and the same kind of plant. The coprosmas were found to he in fruit, and the red. yellow, and while berries of Ihe various kinds were evidently attracting the native birds. The vine-like muhlenbeckia. a relative of that pernicious weed Ihe dock, is extremely abundant, and another climber, the parsonsia, displayed its long seed-pods, which would presently open and set free the fluffy seeds, to lie scattered abroad by every breath of wind. Much more might he said of the plant life of the reserve, hut space forbids further enumeration. it was the general opinion that the last outing of the season had also been the best. The evening meetings, on alternate Fridays, will he resumed from April when Mr L. Lonnie will give an address on "The Weather and Plant Life.”