MUTTONBIRDS IN SEASON

Southland Times, Issue 25642, 9 April 1945, Page 4

MUTTONBIRDS IN SEASON

Industry Thrived Years Ago REMARKABLE HABITS The first of the new season’s muttonbirds have been caught, and some have been eaten, but a few weeks will elapse before the muttonbird becomes a general dish in Southland and elsewhere. “Half-time” is observed at the Moutere Titi islands from April 25 to 28, and about that time the first of the bulk catches will probably be brought back to the mainland. Early reports indicate that the birds are in plentiful supply. The muttonbird industry flourished long before the advent of Europeans to New Zealand. The southern Maoris bartered their birds for useful articles owned by North Island Maoris, and in later days they exchanged them for goods carried by the sealers and whalers. It is more than 80 years ago since the native customary owners ceded Stewart Island, with all the large and small adjacent islands, to the Crown, but certain small islands, called Titi Islands, were reserved under the protection of the Government for muttonbirding for the native vendors and their successors. The list of the islands is shown in the Deed Cession, June 29, 1864, and includes the betterknown Taukiepa, Poutama, Pohowaitai, Rerewhakaupoko, Mokinui and Kaihuka. TRESPASSING DISPUTES

Taukiepa Island came under notice on several occasions 10 to 15 years ago concerning disputes about trespassing. It is more commonly known as South Cape or Long Island, and is situated south-west of Stewart Island. Rerewhakaupoko is sometimes called Solomon’s Island because the former chief, Horomona Paatu, built a church there and conducted religious services during the birding season. The descendants of the original native owners of Stewart Island are the only persons entitled to take the “titis” on the muttonbird islands. Their wives or husbands, however, are always permitted to go to the islands, even though they are Europeans. It is not lawful for any European to take birds or their eggs. The birders are not permitted to go to the islands earlier than March 15 and birding must not start before April 1, or in the event of a delayed landing not earlier than April 10. Birding must stop on May 31.

FROM JAPAN

It is said that during the southern winter the birds settle on some islands off the coast of Japan. Their habits are regular and in some ways remarkable. The hen bird lays only one egg each year. On October 25, without fail, all of the birds arrive at the Titi islands, and one month later, on November 25, each bird lays its egg—none is laid a day before or a day after that date. To complete the remarkable coincidence the eggs are hatched on the 25th day of the following month— Christmas Day. Once the chicks are hatched the male bird hunts for food for both mother and young. He masticates and digests the food for the young chick, and feeds it by disgorging the nourishment into its gullet. Later the mother bird assists the male bird to feed the chick until it looks like a ball of fat and has sufficient vitality to enable it to fly. These chicks mature about April 1 and are able to fly in the second week of May. YOUNG CLUBBED Clubs or sticks are used by the birders to kill them once the young muttonbirds are disturbed from their burrows in the ground. The old or parent birds are never taken or killed by the natives. They are protected in the interests of the industry. The young birds develop at different times in the month of May, , and those that escape the kill and are ready for the migration, wait on the water until the remainder are ready. The oldest bird has been observed to be the last to leave the islands. In flight they darken the sky by their great numbers, and mariners have described their countless numbers on the wing as similar to an eclipse of the sun.