A FLOCK OF STARLINGS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 109, 28 October 1911, Page 9

A FLOCK OF STARLINGS.

I linw TiIKV KILL MAN'I KA. '' I'l"' 1 ' "paki <'nrrc-;>I >!!!I n( of liie \\ 11 iv;ii'ni i;i 'l'ii; it>s semis the following inI cri'sf il|r_r it (Mil : ■All IT Oil absi'llCl' (if nearly I,\v« vi-iirs (lie (lock (if staTliivjs so »'cll known (o (his district hnvr ndtirnniirinir llti'ii' !;i-t year the grass "Vllb Wils ill ilic lirsl I for many years bill farmers here and ill adjoining districts should resl as -ureil (hut this year neither I lie grass itvuli nor tin. ea I erpillar w j]] (rouble 111' 111. , I hcse hi ids collect towards cven'l! ~viisl is the moli anil so <rroat. (lie amount of coiinlrv (hey cover.°(hat one really has to see (hem collected lo realise tin- amount of good tilev must do. tncli year these birds select a new place in which to most, but it is always in manuka, ami as each patch is vacated —it usually comprises from two to three acres-—(he manuka dies, and u sward of grass grows under it, and it is grass unequalled for miles around. The present rookor.v is being. watched with interest, ami settlers are wondering if the healthy crop of scrub which covers our stony plains is to be entirely wiped out by these interesting littl birds-