FINDER NOT ALLOWED TO KEEP CUCKOO

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 92, 8 September 1948, Page 6

FINDER NOT ALLOWED TO KEEP CUCKOO

Several months ago a young woman proceeding to work at Ohakune found a dead bird on the roadside, and because of its pretty markings she picked it up and took it to her place of employment instead of leaving it to the mercy of the first cat that passed. The bird was identified as a shining cuckoo and was handed to an Ohakune ornithologist, whq sent the bird to a taxidermist to be preserved. At the same time he wrote a letter to the Department of Internal Affairs seeking permission to retain the bird, which is required by law, as the shining cuckoo, a migratory bird, is regarded as a native specimen. From the department the prnithologist received a letter refusing him permission to retain the bird and instructing him to forward it to the Wanganui Museum. After paying the taxidermist, whose account the department apparently did not offer to pay, the bird fancier decided that rather than pay the freight on the package he would keep it until his first visit to Wanganui. In the meantime, however, he received a visit from the police regarding the disposal »f the bird and the Wanganui Museum received a number of letters from the department asking if the exhibit had been received. On handing the exhibit to the Wangxnui Museum the owner found that tne museum already had 0 six spacimens of the shining cuckoo which were much better than his bird. However, he had no option but to hand it over and the Wanganui Museum had no option but to accept it.