ABOUT 100 NOTORNIS FOUND IN THE BIRDS’ BREEDING AREAS

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 January 1949, Page 4

ABOUT 100 NOTORNIS FOUND IN THE BIRDS’ BREEDING AREAS

INVERCARGILL, Last Night (PA) —The first scientist to observe tire notornis colony, Dr. R. A. Falla, Director of the Dominion Museum, Wellington, returned from Te Anau yesterday. Some useful observations of the birds’ feeding and breeding habits were made. He said he estimated that there were at least 100 birds in the area, including about 20 breeding couples. The bird fed almost exclusively on snow-grass and did not appear to be a true swamp bird, as it did not frequent swampy,, areas.

Before returning to Te' Anau, Dr. Falla was taken through some re-cently-discovered caves on the western side of Te Anau. Several groups of moa bones were found in a cave and they were collected by Dr. Falla. Parts of a skeleton of a presumed extinct duck were also found, and the bones have been taken to Wellington to be identified.

Comment has been made upon the holding up of official information about the latest discoveries until re cords had been lodged with the In ternal Affairs Department in Wellington. "The habitat of the bird is in our province and the birds have been discovered by Southlanders, yet we have to get information served up by Wellington,” was the comment of one man interested in the Fiordland area.