WOODCOCK AND SNIPE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2848, 12 August 1916, Page 14

WOODCOCK AND SNIPE

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —For many'years I liave advocated tlio importation aud acclimatisation of the woodcock and snipe in New Zealand, but pessimists assert, because thoso birds show migratory habits in some parts of the world, that directly they roach New Zealand they will fly away to try and reach some unknown land, arid naxnrally be drowned at sea, aB they could not possibly span the hundreds of miles of ocean in one long flight. The bird, which habitually migrates annually, knows the exact route it intends to travel, and under these circumstances might tako a longer flight than, would be otherwise possible if it knew not whither it was going.

Thcro has been considerable controversy as to whether the. woodcock nested ill Great Britain, and one of the dukes, and other woll-known sportsmen, went to considerable trouble to puive that, if unmolested and givon : a sanctuary during breeding soason, tho bird would and did nest m Great Britain, but liot in largo quantities, because for some reason the woodcock was not subject-to tho game , laws of Britain until about twelve years ago. Then an Act of Parliament was passed, and since that date the woodcock has been protected by law during the nesting and breeding season. Previous to that, apart from its natural enemies, every man's hand was 'against it all the year round. The woodcock now breeds freely in many parts of Great Britain, and wherever it can find a sanctuary tho numbers nesting is ever on the increase. Amongst , egg-collectors, a woodcock's nest was a covetcd prize, and liko the golden crested wren and eagle, few collectors could boast of having found a nest. My own collection (which, by the way, was a very fine one) did not contain a woodcock's egg. Woodcock eggs are not now so rare, but owing to the careless manner in which tlio woodcock nests they are most difficult to 'find. Tho few dried leaves and some dead twigs can only be called an apology for a nest. a Two interestmg letters appeared in tho "Gamekeeper," relating to . the woodcock, a little while back, and although they were* somewhat lengthy,, these ought to have' been perused by all lovers of bird life. One, signed Mark Cock" (which is the cry used uy the beaters when a, woodcock rises from covert) proves conclusively that tlio woodcocks, also the common snipe, could be kept successfully in captivity. X have, made a careful study of some 0 • n Zealand—and. especially the habits of the kiwi in regard to ieeding—and.-there, can be little lioubt the woodcock foods in a similar manner, and should thrive well in the iVew Zealand bush and alongside the creeks and lakes, which abound in this country. The fact that live kiwis have been sent to England, and stood the voyage well and arrived in good conaiuion, is another proof that woodcock could be brought to New Zealand in the same' way as the kiwi was sent to liingland. 1 .

I think America is the best place to obtain a.supply otVoodcock from, and tor some time past I have been corresponding with this end in view, with various people in the States and Canada. I hope to be successful ill landing some birds here.

Jlark Cock's" remarks-'about the snipe equally prove that if a young snipe can be kept in confinement for three weeks, and fed on tho same food as the. woodcock,. it. should be quite nossible to breed and rear them here, but tho difficulty is to'obtain either birds or eggs to make the start. Both ways are possible, but whether it would be best to obtain snipe from Australia or America can only be'ascertained bv importing a few- trial shipments. New Zealand abounds with bogs and marsnos entirely suitable-to sqipd, and it and- the woodcock would bo 1 most valuable additions to our game birds; as they breed freely and in a short time, should afford splendid sport. The snips generally lays. four eggs, and I am informed tho woodcock lays three Since writing tho foregoing I have read.a very interesting letter from the Cxamekeeper" of May last on" the packing" of grouse, in Scotland, which the writer points out takes place every year about the same month. He points out tho grouse is a semi-migratory bird, and, further, that all birds are migratory, more or less, according to the food supply being covered by snow or the ground hard from frost. Either condition forces tha birds to movo to localities where they can obtain food, trrouse always pack, but do not generally .move to another locality, except when an exceptionally heavy fall of show takes place. When they do move they leave in large flocks and remain together and' return together to the same locality. It is the snow and frost in Siberia that forces,the godwifc and many other birds to come, south, but only the godwit finds it way across to Now Zealand. No doubt these birds followed the land at one time, with short flights across the sea, but as the land disappeared they .took longer and longer flights until their flight : to New • Zealand at the present time is. probably a record of migratory flights. Like the grouse, they pack or mass together before leaving for three or four weeks at the extreme north of Now Zealand, and do a lot of "flying about," which no doubt is to givo them more strength and. stamina for their long flight. They fly in a V shape like wild geese. When the leaders are tired they fall in behind, and those from behind, ' which have been protected t'ron) the wind by the screen of birds in front, go to the front and take their turn at stemming the wind. It is a peculiar thing that the godwit when coming from 'Siberia generally makes for Tauranga, probably because by striking well down tho New Zealand coast they feel sure they will not miss tho land in their flight. New Zealand is a, country abounding in food for many kinds of gamo and other birds. There can bo little doiibt if birds whose habits nro more or less migratory were brought to New* Zealand they would not know the position of tho mainland and would not leave this country, more especially as any migratory instinct in search of food could be fully mot within New Zealand itself. '

Many societies in New Zealand arc looking for some bird to tako the place of the- pheasant, because as the busli or covert is cleared from tho land the pheasant will not stay. Tho partridge l would be most suitable for any open land of stubble, grass, grain' and turnips. Woodcock', Indian sand grouse, green plover, golden' plover, curlew, prairie chicken, English wild duck, wid--geou, and baldcoots are birds which should not bo difficult to acclimatise in New Zealand, and they would be of great value when fully established,' and especially from a goo-d supply point of view. Later on when heather, has been established grouse and blackg'ame would be valuable- birds to add to tho list.— I am, etc. . CECIL A. WHITNEY. Auckland, August 2, 1916.