Wild Laughter Heard at Dawn.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 194, 17 August 1931, Page 8

Wild Laughter Heard at Dawn.

Nature Notes.

By

James Drummond,

F.L.S.. F.Z.S.

gIR GEORGE GREY’S activities were not restricted to collecting Maori folklore and legends, devising liberal policies and propounding schemes for the unborn millions. He was an enthusiastic acclimatiser. He liberated on Kawau, when he owned the island, a fairly large number of creatures which, he believed, would be useful or ornamental in the country he had governed.

Amongst these was the Australian giant kingfisher, laughing jackass, or kookaburra. Several consignments of kookaburras were brought to New Zealand, but only those placed on Kawau survived. Increasing on the island, some of them crossed the water to the mainland. Their wild laqghter now may be heard, most frequently as darkness falls and just before dav-dawn. in districts on the east coast of North Auckland. Living largely on insects and mice, the kookaburra is a desirable addition to the Dominion’s bird-life, although, like the gaily-dressed native kingfisher, it kills some small native birds. In its own country, it is more noted as a snake-killer than as a fisher. It iprefers fields and open forests rather than lakes, rivers and streams. Dead stumps, posts and telegraph wires are its favourite perching places.