Tradition Dies Hard.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 955, 27 December 1933, Page 6

Tradition Dies Hard.

Nature Notes

By

James Drummond, F.L.S., F.Z.S.

'JMIE FOLLOWING LETTER from Tiromoana, West Coast, referring to the water-worm, Gordius, shows how very hard it is for tradition to die:— “I, with others, am prospecting on the West Coast. In small streams running down from the hills we have found numbers of what appear at first sight to be animated horse-hairs. “ One person, who has lived in these parts all his life, went so far as to say they were horsehairs that had been in the water for many years and had become electrified. This I am not prepared to believe. Another advanced the theory that they were young eels, but I have seen many young eels in the estuary in Saltwater Creek, Canterbury, and I know they are not the same. There is. apparently, no sign of eyes or head on these creatures. “ I have one in a tumbler of water. Although it has been there for a week, I have never seen it still. It writhes and twists itself into all manner of positions. \ esterdav I found others and noticed that they had anchored themselves to small pieces of weed at the bottom of the creek. I tried to pull one in half, but it was too strong, although it stretched considerably and went rather reddish and ceased tp move about. “ They are practically uniform in size, from five inches to six inches long and slightlv tapered at one end. The colour varies from light brown to dark brown.”