NATURE NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19759, 14 December 1935, Page 18 (Supplement)

NATURE NOTES.

THE THISTLE DOWN. when the thistle flown Is ripe It has mimic ha "s Inside, it has a nut which vou can eat. On a thistle down are pricks and every one of them is pointing' upwards Each purple hair has a seed and when It s ripe it Hies away, and that Is how it scatters its seeds. HoUm C ralg (to). THE EMPEROR SHAG. Of the New Zealand shags the Emperor shag is the most Interesting. It Is a coastal species, hut also trccpionts iresh water lakes near the sea. Its nests are large structures of sticks built in trees overhanging the water. It visits Its ilsliing ground eacli day, returning to its. nest to roost at night. it Is a big black bird. June Swann (10). THE ASH.

I am the ash ami Known for grace, My branch-tips turn towards my Incc; My leaflet pairs are light as lace, ,\o corn will grow around my Paso. My seeds are Keys ami tly In space. My logs are worth their weight in gold To maKe a lire against the cold. (Copied.) Muyra Davey (10). THE PHEASANT. The pheasant is hrown' and lilac K in colour. It tual(i-s its nest In scrub, trees, tern and long grass. When the potatoes are growing the pheasant scrapes the root out and eats Hie potatoes. (Sometimes they may ruin a whole crop In this way. When' anyone comes along they crouch down In the grass, and when they go by they suddenly tly up, mailing a noise with their wings. ' Charlie swumi (lit).

SOUTH ISLAND TOIYI-TIT. The South Island tom-tlt is an elegant little bird which takes up Its abode In gardens and orchards. It moves about in a peculiar manner, and hi the early mr/rn utters a prolonged trilling note, very clear and plaintive. Throughout the day, and often till late in the evening, it utters at frequent Intervals a soft note like the word “Willoughby, Willoughby,” repeated several times. A peculiar attitude, in which It appears to delight, is to cling by Its tiny leet to the upright bole or a tree, or other perpendicular surface.— (Copied.) Evo Bellamy (11). THE SHINING CUCKOO.

October Is the inonlh when the shining cuckoo mid the long-.tutted cuckoo arrive, the lormer comes rrom the Solomon Islands and heralds his arrival with a clear characteristic call which Is not difficult to . recognise or to Imitate. These brig-lit, tropical-looking birds may sometimes bo seen feeding on hairy caterpillars, which oilier birds will not touch, Like most members of the cuckoo family tills bird Is imt a nest-builder, but leaves Its eggs for oilier birds to hatch. The usual victim is \ our little friend the grey warbler,—« Margaret Alexander (11),

THE WOOD PIGEON. Tlip Now Zealand wood pig-eon is much larger and more gaudily coloured than' ttio imported varieties, being golden green and glossy blue on tile bead and back, with a conspicuous broad white breast. it Is silu fairly common throughout both ' Islands, but is very much scarcer than formerly. 11 lias no song, but emits a soft cooing wiicn disturbed. Tilts bird makes only a platform id' twigs fur a nest, generally high ui) m some tall forest tree, "'horn it deposits two white eggs slightly larger and rounder than lliose of the domesticated breed. It feeds almost entirely on berries.— (Copied.) Juan Quinlan (13).