Stranger Finds Precise Description Of Mutton Bird Hard To Get

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 98, 14 November 1947, Page 5

Stranger Finds Precise Description Of Mutton Bird Hard To Get

Interview With One Of The “Birders”

Yesterday morning, a group of Maori people on the wharf, and some already aboard the Port Whakatane attracted the eye of a Beacon reporter. “H-m-m”, thought he “mut-ton-birders, or whatever one calls ’em.”

♦ So, being somewhat new to this district, and quite unacquainted with mutton birds—except as rather shapeless corpses in fishmongers’ windows—he strolled over to get the oil, the gen, or what-have-you about this birding business. After a few false starts, he found one of the group disposed to pass the odd minute or two in lightening the darkness, so to speak. Trouble was, this birder just didn’t, seem to realise the depth of the pressman’s ignorance, or hadn’t the gift of imparting knowledge clearly. The interview went something like this:

Pressman, cordially, “What-ho. Off to the island for the birding?” Maori, laconically, “That’s it.” Pressman, getting to the point, “You, know, I’ve never seen a live mutton bird. What’s it like?”

Maori, vaguely, “Oh, they woolly b s, eh.” Pressman, “Oh, I see.” Maori, with emphasis, “Yes. Very woolly b s.” Pressman, his notice attracted by a pile of long sticks. “You use those sticks to catch them?”

Maori, “Yes. With the wire. Easy. They woolly b s, see.” Pressman, satisfied they are woolly b s, “You have to chase them out of the holes, do you?” Maori, “No. Get ’em in there. With the stick and the wire. See, they’re woolly b s, eh.”

Pressman, trying a different tack, “How long do you stay over there?” Maori, “Only few days, eh. Soon now they leave the nests. Get them first, eh.” •

Pressman,- scenting a new angle, “What do they look like then, when they leave the nests?” Maori, “They fly' eh. Fly when they leave r the nests.” Pressman, “Yes, but what do they look like? Like gulls?”

Maori, hesitantly, “Yes. Maybe, Maybe like a duck, too, eh.”

There the conversation started to drag a bit. It didn’t seem to be leading anywhere. But this much was achieved: It is now possible to state on reliable authority that a mutton bird in the pre-flying stage is a woolly

b that lives in a hole. When it leaves the hole it flies. In appearance it’s maybe like a gull, maybe, like a duck, eh. And maybe mutton birders haven’t much patience with the silly questions of strangers, eh. /