Along the Track

Forest and Bird, Issue 88, 1 May 1948, Page 12

Along the Track

WANGANUI.— the farm there is a pond, fed by a spring, where grey duck breed in the clumps of water grass and rear their families, Half a mile away, on a hillside, is a ragged bit of native —and all that is left of what once , was native bush — chiefly a few titoki trees. One of these, seven feet from the ground, where the tree branches, a wild duck built her nest. We found the duck sitting on eight eggs, but unfortunately she did not hatch them. Possibly this was because of our invasion of her nesting place. WEKAS ON THE EAST COAST.— Wekas have recently been found to be fairly plentiful

on the East Coast in the Northern Gisborne district. This is probably the last area on the mainland of the North Island where they have survived in any numbers, though they are occasionally seen in the far north. Some people regard the weka as a thief and raider, but as he is a potent agent in keeping down rats, mice and noxious insects, this is short-sighted. The Wildlife Branch of the Internal Affairs Department have espoused the cause of these East Coast wekas and by publicity in the local newspapers, appeals through schools and Maori Tribal Committees and circulars to landowners, have stressed the need for the preservation of this remnant of one of New Zealand’s once most plentiful birds.