More Notornis Than at First Thought

Chronicle (Levin), 15 January 1949, Page 4

More Notornis Than at First Thought

Press AssociatiovJ

(Per

INVERCARGILL, Jan. 14. The first scientist to observe the notornis colojty, Dr. R. A. Falla, direc.v tor of the Dominion tMuseupr, Wellington, returned from 'fe Anan yesterday, Some useful observations of the birds '■ feeding and breeding habits were made, he said. He esti.moted that tliere wero at least 100 birds .p the area, including ajiout 20 breeding eouples. The bird fed almost exelusively oij snowgrass, he said,' and did not appeap to be a true swnmp bii'd, as it "did not frequent swampy areas, Before returning from Te Anau, Dr, Falla was taken .through some recently discovered caves on the western side of Tp Anau, Several girpups of moa bones - wero fotmd in the caves anc| they were - eollected by Dr. Falla. Parts of a skele? ton, presumed to be that of an extinct duck, were also t'oupd and the bones have been taken to Wellington to be ideutified. ^ Comme.nt has been made on the hold* ing up of offic.ifll infQnnation about the latest discoveries until records werp lodged with the fnternal Affairs De* partmept in We-lUngton, 'fThe habitat- of Ihe bird is in ouip province and the birds have been dia* covered by SouthlapkffP, yat we bavp to get information served up by WeL lington," was the comme|it of one inan interested in the Fiordland area.