NATURE NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19765, 21 December 1935, Page 18 (Supplement)

NATURE NOTES.

THE MOUNTAIN PARROT. The New Zealand kca or mountain parrot Is round only In the snow country of the Southern Alps. This Is the bird, Individuals or which are accused or killing: sheep to got at the fat. aho koa makes Its home In noolts and rock crevices high up in mountainous country, and utters a peculiar screech not unlike the mewing or a cat. Its nest Is a crude hollow In the rocks, where It lays several rough, round, white eggs, somewhat larger than those or the kaka. Joan Quinlan (13). TREES. The silver birch Is a dainty lady, She wears a satin gown; The elm tree makes the churchyards shady, He- will not live in town. The English oak is a sturdy fellow, He gels his green cont late; The willow is smart In a suit or yellow While brown the beech trees wait. The clicstnut'Sjproud, and the lilac’s pretty, The poplar’swgentle and tall, But the plane tree’s kind to the poor dull city—--1 love him best or all. Beverley Vcrnall (12). THE WEKA. The welca is another example or a New Zealand bird which, although furnished with wings. Is unable to lly. it does, however, use the wings when running. Ihe short tail Dolls up and down spasmodically tin, Bird is walking with slow deliberate step, and bold conllelfint. appearuace. ’i tie eyes are wonderfully sharp, over on the look-out tor lood. i.rickets, worms, grubs, lizards, snails, berries, mice, nothing comes amiss. It wilt even catch nsh in shallow water and take young rah- i hits from a warren'. Nor are rats ties- \ plscd; once captured, they are quickly j skinned with the aid of feet and powerful ] Beak. The wor.a is of great economic Ini- i portance, not only as a destroyer of Insect | pests amt other vermin, lint also as a protector of the nests of oilier birds.— I (.Coplcdj Uellii'da Story (11).

THE LOCUST. The locust is an Insect which comes out In the warm days or summer. it has a loud chirping song. it has six: legs, the front two being the largest. When It files it makes a noise with Its thin', fragile wings. It Is usually seen on buildings or plants. June Wilson (i i) PHEABANTB. Our neighbour has two beautiful pheasants. The hen Is brown with fawn markings, so when she Is sitting on the eggs she is hard to pick out among the rern where they hatch their young. The cock has a red head, xvhlle the rest or his plumage Is tinted with rods, greens, and blue. The hen pheasant lays a browny grey egg each day, and she has laid more than 15, the usual number this'season. Nan'cy Petch (12). THE BLACKBERRY. Tho blackberry is a weed very numerous. It grows rapidly and Is hard to kIU It grows wild like other weeds. Thf blackberry grows alongside rences and creeks. It produces fruit abundantly, and people pick the berries to make Into iam. Tho berries are black when ripe. they have sharp prickles on their stems. They spread by runners, ami by birds carrying the seed. Charlie Swann (12), THE MOHO. The moho was Talrly plentiful prior to the white colonisation of New Zealand, when, together with the moa, it Tonned an Important part of early Maori diet. It Is now many years since Its complete extermination. Little Is now known of its general 'habits; only threo known examples have been obtained since the advent of the white man, and over an - 'lnterval or 35 years. it ts, however, supposed that it frequents low and humid situations, marshes and riverbeds, and undoubtedly enjoyed the power of swimming.— (Copied.) Malsey Thomson (6),