LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1709, 28 March 1913, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

MIGRATION OF BIRDS. Sir,—This is a subject which has always been interesting, and even yet much my.sIpv.v surrounds it. Many people believe that birds are entirely guided in their migration by instinct, and to some ex : tent this is so, but while it is nil accepted belief that a natural instinct impels thorn to migrate in ilocks, it has been ascertained beyond all doubt that they arc guided by landmarks in their (light. In the case of insectivorous birds, like the swallow, this must bo so; and it is no great wonder that ono of theso birds, marked in Scotland, may, in a short time after, be found at the Capo of Good Hope; for it has never been out of sight of land, indeed has flown overland the whole journey, except when crossing the narrow Straits of Dover and the Mediterranean or Red Seas.

In these far-away islands, proof of the strong migratory instinct is evident in the fact that many of our summer visitors limst cross great stretches of sea to get to New Zealand, and this seems very wonderful in the case of such small birds as the white-eye. What is more wonderful though, is that they should come at all. Scientifio men endeavour to explain this migration on tho theory that thero was at soma remote period a continent which tho Pacific Ocean now covers, and that' the birds continue their migrations over sea as once they did 'over land; that the continent did not sink under water all at once, and that from atoll to atoll tho old birds of each generation guide flocks to their old breeding grounds; that the seasons and periodic trade winds assist them in their flight; and tliat they fly high, and can therefore see great distances. It .must be remembered also that birds fly at a great rate of speed, some as fast as from 0) to 100 miles an hour; so that a flock of birds oould travel from the Chatham Islands to New Zealand (4SO miles) in live hours. This explanation may not bo quite satisfactory m the case of such birds as the godwit, out native kuaka, which feeds on sand shoals laid bare by ebb-tide, but .these birds can be traced in a continuous migratory chain from New Zealand, over tho isles of the oceans, via Australia, New Guinea, Torres Strait, Malacca,. India, China, to Siberia. i

All of which will not quite explain tho incident set forth by your reporter in the enclosed "cutting," clipped from one of your issues of last week:. He relates that "when the New Zealand Shipping Company's mail steamer Kuahine, on her voyage to the Homeland on November 17, of last year, was 350 miles out from Wellington, one of her deck hands observed two pigeons overhead being pursued and rapidly overhauled by two big albatrosses. The pigeons alighted on the' steamer, and were caught and cared for by the deckhand during the voyage to England, and back to Wellington." Where were the pigeons going to? It is surely not intended to suggest they were going anywhere overseas? Pigeons 350 miles from land must have accompanied the steamer, or have been blown by a gale of wind off the coast. Neither of which assumption, is tenable. Pigeons will not fly oversea unless they see land in the distance, and they must have been trained previously to cross this stretch of water. Indeed, as everyone knows who- keeps homing pigeons for racing purposes, these birds must be trained—not to cultivate the homing instinct, for that is inherent—bn t so that they may become acquainted with the features of tho country they are required to race home over, therefore, .when yonng, these birds are sent—generally by railway or coastal steamer—first, a distance, say, of five miles from their home, and, day by day, the distanco is increased, always in the samo direction, until they will race homo overland from some distant place, which may- lie one, two, or three huh'dred miles distant. _ . The subject 'of migration is very interesting, and difficult to reduce to any natural law, except that the birds alpnear to migrate to a warmer climate, where they can find food and continuo. their breeding operations.' But even this law will not satisfy- tho curious, for tho cuckoo comes to us in summer, but not the swallow, and both are insectivorous birds. Indeed, when we give tho subject nuy consideration, we. find wo .are lamentably iguorant of tho laws and causes of tho migration of birds , and Ssh. I am, etc " ' C.A.YOUNG. Auckland, March 12. MATRICULATION EXAMINATIONS. Sir,—l. would point out to your correspondent, "J. E; Hamill," that the. University does not demand the , matriculation examination as the preliminary examination for accountancy students or ior professional law students; Tho Society, of Accountants require it for the former, the Judges of the Supreme Court requiro it for tho latter.—l ain, etc., B. HECTOR. March 27. , ■

FIRE BRIGADE HANDICAPPED. Sir,—lt would have been somewhat amusing—if it was not such a serious matter —could you have seen four firemen from the .Thorndon branch wishing an. antiquated hand-reel up a hill yesterday to extinguish what turned out to be a bush fire in Goldie's Brae. According to recent newspaper reports, the Superintendent has on several occasions remarked on the lack of suitable fire; fighting appliances, and it came as a surprise to me after seeing the above exhibition to see a fine motor-engine standing idle in the station while the four stalwarts made frantic efforts to reach the seat of the fire. Luckily for them they received word that the fire had burned itself out, and returned to the station with their hand-cart,' no doubt thankfully. I find that there is only' one man allowed to drive tho motor (although there are others capable), and as .lie has to relieve tho deputy at the Central Station, give instruction to the men at the. Central Station, and also havo one afternoon off during the week, you will readily see that if a big fire should occur on any of the above-stated occasions things would be in a precarious state, with the motor out of commission. On these occasions tlieru is nothing else for it but tho hand-cart, from two to four men pushing and pulling for all tliey are -,worth in an effort to reach a fire which, 'no doubt, would be burned out before they got there, if it was any distance from tne station. Now, "Sir, this J? a very serious matter for the householders of Thorndon. I take it that in the event of a cull it is n matter of supreme importance to get there ill the shortest possible time. A few minutes often makes all the difference, and may mean tho destruction of thousands oi' pounds worth of property. i trust, Sir, yon will give this the publicity it deserves—l am, etc., ' DARKTOWN. ' March 27.

MR. TREGEAR AND HIS SOCIALIST FRIENDS. Sir, —I am astonished at Mr. Tregear's letter, dated 13th inst., criticising a letter signed "Disgusted," which appeared in your journal some short time since. "Disgusted's" letter has been commented on by many persons, who. consider that Mr. , Tregear was very tenderly "let down," and that the letter in question was most temperate and absolutely truthful. The into Seddon Ministry was partial to men. of Mr. Tregear's stamp, and they progressed rapidly iu the public service. No one, however, begrudges what Mr. Tregear has,saved wliilo ho wis ill the Public Service, or the pension he draws, but most thinking men marvel at the illogical rubbish that ho lays down as "law," and which by reason of Ins flowery language, the unthinking accept as such. How did Mr. Tregear come off in his late ordeal, when before tho Imperial Trade Commissioners? And what would liis Socialistic admirers have thought had they witnessed the pathetic and speechless spectacle he presented when he was utterly unable to explain to those gentlemen the working of "theories" he so glibly propounded.' If Mr.'Tregear l)elieves all that he says, and is the Socialist at. heart that lie claims to be, instead of impressing on his unthinking comrades that they are entitled to have an equal share of everything, let him share among them tho savings and annual pension that belomg to himself. That would be "practical" Socialism, and would prove his sincerity, but until Mr. Tregear does this his utterances must be accepted for what they aro worth.—l njn, CtC " ANTI-HUMBUG.