NATURAL HISTORY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 846, 18 June 1910, Page 2

NATURAL HISTORY.

"SUBTLE AND MYSTERIOUS PROBLEMS." THE NEST OF THE WILD DUCK. (Br 11. C. Bruce.) ■My friend,' Sir. Stanley, of Otalri, several years ago told mo that ho had j-read in "The Field" that thcro had Leon only one well-authenticated instance known in England of the wild duck building in a tree. But in this country tho wild duck frequently builds her nest at a great altitude, amongst tho parasite growths in the forks oftall trees, hoping probably 'thus to escape tho depredations of tho woodhens and wild dogs, tho latter being certainly, until quite recently very numerous in tho forests of tho North Island. . .' ' When I settled in New Zealand, on. tho banks of tho Tuiakina lliver, there were, for a couple of years at least, three distinct packs in my vicinity, and • at that time I had tho good fortune to obtain an excellent view of two of the ■ prigiual wild dogs whoso blood had not been contaminated by any other strain from tho importations of the white man. Almost the size of a small collie, of a whity cream colour, with sharp noses and little prick ears, and with tails carried curling over their backs, they at onco conveyed tho idea of wolfish foxes, and presented a type entirely different from any dog that I havo seen. amongst civilised mankind. They presented as characteristic types as might have been displayed by two ■ foxes or wolves, so much that I very much doubt that they were tho offspring of Maori dogs which had gone wild, and evolved tho type as seen by me in tho forest of Parnekautu. I have spoken to Sir George Grey and other authorities upon this interesting question, but havo never obtained sufficient specific evidence to arrivo at any definite conclusion. But to return-to'tho. wild duck that builds in the tall forest trees. It has always boon a mystery—it is saidhow tho old birds managed to transport their young to the water. Sir Walter Scott said that he never travelled in u stage coach without learning something, and lately, in a train, whilst listening to a conversation, I discovered tho alleged solutiou of thxy problem, as one of tbo gentlemen ore-: sent assured us that a friend of his had! seen tho parent birds flying down" tothe water with tho young ones between their, legs. .- . . , Tho old Maoris with whom I ■ have had conversations all allege that upon tho approach of a bad season tho wild ducks build their nests further from tho water than in ctimatically normal years; and they also tell us something, most interesting in reference to littlo riro riro, which makes a round , nest with an aperture in the side, and , a littlo verandah over tho hole, made for purposes of ingress and egress. But upon the approach of a wot, stormy spring;- this aperture is placed somewhat turtlief round from tho direction of tho prevailing wind. Granting their accuracy—and I myself quite believo tho statements of tho-. ' Maoris—the movements of these birds present some of the most. subtle and' . mysterious problems in tho pages of natural history, for the reason that it would appear to indicate that these birds can peer into futurity, and that in forecasting,tho seasons they can'accom- ■ plish what has ever; baffled civilised mankind. It would also appear to sug; gest that there are all round us laws: in operation of which we.aro entirely, ignorant. MIGRATION OF EELS. I enclose a.most interesting clipping,: which I have just received: from a correspondent in the Mother Country, who'' tells me that ho had read about the breeding of eels., in Ths Dominion :^- •'lt is now well established that the common eel of our fresh waters, when, it approaches maturity, migrates a long distance to deep water, where it spawns.' From the Finnish fishing journal, 'Fiskentidskrift for Finland,' we learn that quite a number of experiments have been made in the Baltic to ascertain the course .that the eels, take iiu their migration to the ocean and tho. rate at which they travel. Little silvered discs, each bearing a distinctiva number, were attached by silver wire, aud tho eel thus marked and noted was replaced in the water to continue . its wandering. All the parked eels which havo been again caiight were socured to the westward of the place where they were set free, and sometimes at a very great distance from it.. Those marked and liberated on the coast of Finland passed over to the Swedish coast, and then to tho coast of Denmark. Tho distances between, the place of liberation and tho place of recapture were, as much-as 320, 440, and even T3O English miles. The eel that travelled 730 miles was marked at Tvarminne, Finland, on August 15, and was taken again at Helgenaes, .on the east coast of Jutland, on November 16 following. It thus covered tho distance" in 93 days, at an average speed of ■ nearly eight miles a day. As a rule the eels' moved more quickly, the average for a number of experiments being from 9to 10.miles in a day. One which went 440 miles in twenty days swam at tho rate of 22 miles a day, and another which was only two days freo covered no less than 60 miles in that space of time. Those Finnish eels have to travel about 1500 miles to their breeding places, and no elvers, such as. ascend our rivers and streams in spring, are to- be found in Finland. Before they travel the 1500 .miles from the-place where they were horn they grow beyond that stage, and the smallest eel got in Finland going up the rivers was' nearly twelve' inches long.—P.W." Esperanto is beginning to take a »*■ ous place in the life of the world. France and Austria are talcing it as an auxiliary language for use in war and among tho doctors, nurses, and attendants of the Red Cross. At present Great Britain lias uot taken any official movement in the same direction. A collection of Imperial and Royal autographs on a pane of glass lias been'given by King Hnnkon to the mufeuin at Copenhagen. The pane originally belonged to a window of tho Hoyal Danisn express, and a great mnny years ago the Emperor Alexander 111 engraved his name on it with his. diamond ring. His example was followed by the present Czar, the late King Christian, King Edward, Queen Alexandra, Kins Haakon, King George of Greece, and Queen \u> toria of Spain. A DISTRESSING CASE OP KIDNEY DISEASE. PAINS LIKE THE THRUST FKOil A' KNIFE. "I have been a sufferer from kidney disease for six years, and have tried all kinds of pills and co-call«l remedies without deriving any benefit," writes Mrs. AntiU. 69 Ilordcri' Street, ?>cwtown. Sydney, N.S.W. "I was 6o bad I could not stoop to" pick anything up, as tlie pain would strike me like a knite. i could not got about to do my housework at all; indeed, I could not get out of.bed without assistance. I was recommended, to take Dr. Sheldon's Gin I'ills, which 1 (lid, and I can honestly say I feel better to-day than I have dono for many years. I caii hiclily recommend them to anyone suffering'as I did." Those suiYering from Kidney Disease, ■ with its attendant very distressing pains, will do well to note the above account of Mrs. Antill's ease. As she was cured, they enn be also. Dr. Sheldon's Gin Pills have clfncUd many similar cures. Give them a trial. Price, Is. 6d. and Ss, 6d.— Advt. W ■