NATURE NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19451, 15 December 1934, Page 16 (Supplement)

NATURE NOTES.

A BTRANGE BIRD. One day I saw a big blackbird perched high up in the pine branches. So I waited near by to - see what the bird was. it made a very peculiar sound with its throat. Then it 116 w from its perch to the ground and hopped along the ground a short distance. It l(ew a short way and then hopped along again. I kept following it, but to my great disappointment it disappeared altogether. I am still curious to know what It was.—. Margaret Alexander (12). INSECTS BEWARE ! When I was walking along the edge or the swamps the other day I noticed some very r.ed plants. On walking up to them i found that they had attic hairs sticking out from the stem, and on looking at them closely I found tiles and other Insects stuck to them. They have a little white nower, and there are no leaves on the stem, Just some little while Powers hunched at the top. We call them “ The Fly-catching Plant ’’.—Dawn Sweetmun (10).

STRIPED CARNATIONS. The other day I was looking at our, carnations and I noticed that some or tho \ petals Instead or being all white were hair red and hair white, and there was a f straight mark right down the centre of 'tile petal,—Moyra Davey ,(9). BUSY MOTHER THRUSH. The other day I -sat silently watching a thrush hanging and breaking the shell off a snail on the ground. As I looked closer I noticed that round tho stone many shells or other unfortunate snails lay. Two baby thrushes were being fed ns rast as the mother thrush could provide the food. I think thrushes are very intelligent birds.—Jean Edgar (1 ). A BHOCK FOR PUSSY. There Is a grey cat that lives next door and she'comes to see us orten. She loves playing with water and she looks so interested if you turn the tap on. Last week she caught a young rat and played with it so long that it turned and bit her ; nose. It was just like a hall; it bounced up and down in Puss’s face. She got sdeh a fright that she lost it, and besides I < 't think that she was so keen about rats any more that day.—Mary McDonnell (10).