NATURE NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1855, 15 September 1913, Page 8

NATURE NOTES.

[Bt R. 0. BntrcE.]

♦ . . RELICS OP THE HOARY PAST, THE CUCKOO'S MIGRATIONS,

The flora and fauna of New Zealand • aro now receiving an amount) of attention most gratifying to all true lovers of nature. And in this connection it is pleasing to read that societies are springing up which have as thoir object tho projection and preservation, so far, as it is still possible, of the scenic , beauty of our matchless island home. Closely associated with this study is that of the geological deposits whichv indicate that in a remote past mighty rivers poured thoir waters into adjacent seas. The last deposits of estuarial matter named "papa" hy the Maoris, ahd the shell rock* strata—in reality, beach, shell—have Been thrown up by the volcanic forces of a remote geological past. - Majestio Ruapehu has bean thus thrown up through tho papa strata, and great 'blocks of shell rock are to bo seen in its immediate vicinity. These, submarine rocks and beaches testify to the existence in a remote past of contiguous continents. The existence on the'West-Coast of South America of the tutu, ,the kowhai, and the fuchsia would appear, to indicate some connection between the flora of/New Zealand and that of South 'America. It is al- • leged the the fuchsia was first taken to Europe by one of the Spanish sailors. 'With-the exception of a few fossil fishes, .a few inches'in length, the papa country has presented but little to the researches ol geologists, 1 but I have known personally of '.two interesting "finds" Which wgre" discovered.'in the vicinity'«!; SWvfcr.' 'Wjr old . fij&nd, -Sfrl Archie Cameron, when rein the Turakina Valley, about ten miles from tho coast, unearthed a wellpreserved skeleton .of a whale, in the gravel close to tho surface.. Indeed, it was so fresh, and sound that!the joints of. the backbone were used/for. milking stools by the family. ~'.But the other "find" was of a much more interesting character. Embedded in'a stratum of shell rock, at the : level of tho Turakina Kiver, I "found'three lumps, of waterworn gum, each; about the size of a largo man's fist. When it is remembered that there are' a number of these strata running up for perhaps 1700 feet, my "find" cannot be denied an extremely hoary antiquity. And to me tho most interesting feature of tho question is the disclosure of the fact that at the time the deposit was made" forests must have existed within, a reasonable distances r Since my discovery I have heard o'f others of a similar type. Amongst our New Zealand flora prob- . ably tho most'interesting tree is that found at Mokau, named "Tainui" by the' Maoris, and alleged by them to have grown from'the-paddle Of tho exploring can6o Tainui;- : which, on thoir adventurous' voyage,' they" had ■ stuck in the ground at Mokau. This interesting tree is' not found elsewhere in New Zealand, and all the Natives whom I-have spoken to on the subject implicitly believe that it .brought from Hawki in tho great Maori migration. I have heard white men speak., of the Maori tradition as being obviously untenable, but ' it is possible that a stick may I ave come —although not in paddle form: — lying on the floor of- the canoe. Hut this. assumption - : by 110 means solves the problem, and for the reason that 05 has been alleged, tho tree is lipt found -in the islands from whence the intrepid navigators, without chart, compass, or pilot, furrowed with their adventurous, keels tho blue waters of the mighty Pacific. This, :as to the habitat of the interesting tree was .given to me by the' late Professor Kirk, and bo added to the interest of tho subject by • tolling me that the tree is found in • tropical Australia., The , question,: in tho absence' of more specific information, presents a somewhat difficult problem for solution. - Scientists believe ■ that in a very remote part land communications existed between the north of New Zealand and northern Australia. ' It is interesting to know, that our annual visitor, the beautiful little shining cuckoo, still cleaves his pathway through the '"wastes of the trackless air," probably pursuing in his -ligratory . flights tho same line of travel as his predecessors, perhaps, at the time when there existed land communication between Australia and New Zealand. The instincts of migratory birds' constitute, one, .of -the. most interesting problems in the study of natural history. I very much regret to say that this lovely annual visitor has of late years 1 become comparatively scarce, in consequcnce, I suppose, of tho destruction of our forests which gave, it shelter and sustenanco in its Now Zealand homo. • But, it was recently comforting to read that' in an Australian valley thoy were found in such numbers as made their beautiful notes '.'almost deafening." There is still much controversy/in reference to the authorship of the celebrated "Ode to •the_ Cuckoo." Somo believe that it was written bv a delicato youth named Michael Bruce, who lived out his sljort life of twentyono years on tho shores of Loch IjeVen, whilst others belicvo' it to have been tho- composition ..of a "bon vivant" Presbyterian ,clergyman-;named Logan. I shall not venture Ao, oxpressan opinion in referehco '-to -the' question, as I might excite tho indignation of some perfervid Scot; indeod, I have had two such experiences, and; do not,desire a, third. A cousin of-our - Higlr Commissioner, tho Hon. Thomas Mackenzie, has recently- entered into the authorship fray. As a champion of Brace's claim, he has. written a_ book, and therein he displays the fighting instincts of this indomitable clan. Disraeli has .referred _. to this exquisite poem as containing "magical stanzas of pictures, melody, mid sentiment;" and I think that it was Burko who spoke of it as the "most beautiful lyric in tho language." So highly did Burke appreciate this poem that when visiting Scotland he said that 110 would not 'leave tho country - without paying a visit to the author of the "Ode to the Cuckoo." But a poem which calls forth such tributes from two of our greatest critics must be one of altogether remarkable, merit. But all that finds expression in tho "Ode" will be found applicable to our beautiful little visitor, the shining cuckoo, and in fancy and imagination I should like to see tho two interesting birds associated with each other,'the'British cuckoo and tho lovely Pipi Wharanroa, whoso habitat during oyr winter months is found under the tropical skies of North Australia. I'send you tho poem, "the'most ' ' beautiful lvrio in tho language," and would gladly see our .lovely visitor fenced round with a hod go of sentiment as with tho robin at Homo. R. 0. BRUCE. Ngaruru, August 21. Hail, beauteous stranger of the grove, Thou messenger of Spring, Now Heaven repairß thy rural Beat And woods thy weloomo sing, " What time the daisy decks the green Thy cortain voioe we hear, Hast thou a star to guide thy path Or mark tho rolling year. Delightful visitant 1 With tHee I hail the time of flowers,' And hoar tho sound of musio sweet From birds, among the bowers. The school-boy wandering through thwood To pull tho primrose gay, Starts tho hew voioe of spring to hear And imitates thy, lay«

What time the pea puts on the bloom, Thou fliest thy vocal vale, An annual guest in other lands, Another spring to.huil. Sweet bird thy bower is ever green, Thy sky is evor clear; Thou hast no sorrow in thv song, No wintof in thy year. Oh,! Could I fly, I'd fly with thee; We'd mako with joyful wing Our annual visit o'er the globo, Companions of the Spring.