“ BIRD LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19241, 1 December 1930, Page 10

“ BIRD LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND.”

SOCIETY FOR IMPERIAL CULTURE’S LECTURES END

The year’s syllabus of the Society' 1 for Imperial Culture was concluded on Saturday evening, when Mr Johannes Andersen gave a delightful lecture on “ New Zealand Birds and Their Songs” in the Chamber of Commerce Hall. Dr Flight presided, and introduced Air Andersen as an old Christchurch boy who. like the late Air Justice Alpers, had come to New Zealand as a child from Denmark, had mastered the English language, and made his name and fame world-wide as a poet and a writer on many subjects. Like all poets, he was a lover of Nature, and had made a patient study of bird life. Air Andersen said it had been a greater ordeal to listen to the eulogies of Dr Flight than to speak himself. It was, however, true that he was a lover, not only of animals and birds, but also of the trees and plants. He had spent much time in the sanctuary at Kapiti, observing the habits and characteristics of birds, and in the bush, listening to their songs, memorising and noting them down. Air Andersen’s whistling of the songs of the tui, the bellbird and the grey warbler was a feature of his lecture. He is convinced that birds have a repertoire of their own; that the tuis and bellbirds sing songs with variations, and also duets; that many sing phrases, using a scale and notation like ours; and that some are just on the point of becoming composers. He had been reported as saying he had heard New Zealand birds singing “ The Campbells are Coming,” and satirical allusions to fairy tales had followed. Still, he maintained some bird songs were- reminiscent of human music.

Speaking of bird sanctuaries, the lecturer said they were established because so many native birds were becoming extinct. In quietness and safety, they were nurseries for the rest of the country.

Alany beautiful photographs were shown by means of lantern slides, manipulated by Professor Shelley, of seabirds, gulls, wild duck, tuis, bellbirds, wekas, tomtits, fantails, robins, grey warblers and their hanging nests, shining cuckoos, pipits, and others. It was news to many that the song of the grey warbler varied according to the locality. Air Andersen was con versant with them all, and whistled charmingly the song sung in Wellington and that peculiar to Christchurch. He convinced his hearers that the cuckoo was a much maligned bird, and that other birds encouraged rather than resented her apparently brutal behaviour; that birds did far more good in destroying insects than harm to crops The mimicry of the tui, and his annoying way of spoiling his sweetest songs with harsh sounds interpolated, and the fact that the female bellbird is a better songstress than her mate, were mentioned. “ There is no mother like a weka,” said Air Andersen, “ but in the tomtit family the duties are divided. The father looks after his sons, and the mother takes care of her daughters.” “ What is the urge which causes the bird's to sing so gloriously?” asked the lecturer. “It is not to please their mates, for when they try to sing their best solos they deliberately stop them and won’t listen. It is probably something within themselves that makes them sing, as we do for sheer joie de vivre. Even to listen to the birds makes one feel permanently young.” Arr Andersen’s description of the bird chorus at dawn in the bush, and his lifelike imitation of some of the bird notes, will long be a pleasing memory. Very appropriately, the songs chosen by Aladame Gower Burns, who was in splendid voice, were “ Sing, Sweet Bird” and “ Lo, Here the Gentle Lark,” with flute obligato by Air W. Hays, Aliss Pollard playing the piano accompaniment.

Air L. L. R. Denny moved a hearty vote of thanks to Air Andersen, and supper was then handed round. The floral decorations were golden yellow broom and lupins and orange marigolds.