NATURE NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 138, 7 December 1929, Page 17

NATURE NOTES

GEESE AND SWANS

ACCLIMATISATION EFFORTS

XBy E. H. D. Stidolph, E.A.0.U.)

Ten species of geese have been introduced into New Zealand at various times, but only two have become established—the Canadian goose and the Cape Barron goose, of Australia. At one time the Egyptian goose, a handsome species of historical interest, existed as a wild bird from JTorth. Auckland to Te Aute, in Hawkes Bay, but it has long since disappeared. It was first brought into New Zealand by Sir George Grey, who importe-1 eight or ten into Kawau Island in 1800. These birds bred freely ou this island home and spread to many parts' of the country, only to be destroyed in later years. In 1869 the Auckland Acclimatisation Society kept a number of aviaries, but it is not known if these were liberated or not. This beautiful bird was domesticated by the ancient Egyptians, %nd although not sacred was the emblem of Seb, the father of Osiris. It occurs in the Nile Valley southwards of Cairo, ranging thence over the greater part of Tropical Africa and being the common, wild goose of Cape Colony. A pair of Sandwich Island geese was received by the Auckland Acclimatisation Societyin 1871 and kept in aviarigs for several years, but there is no record of any being liberated. The Brent goose, a decidedly marine bird in habits, was first brought to New Zealand in 1871, j when the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society received a pair, of which, however, there is no later record. In 1905 tie Government imported a number, a pair going to the Wellington Acclimatisation, but what became of the birds is not known. On the coast of Britain the Brent goose stays out at sea by night, cradled by the billows, and at early dawn repairs to the muddy flats and sandbanks, where it feeds exclusively on marine plants, especially layer and yostera. It is local in its "habits, returning annually to the same feeding grounds. It breeds in more northern, latitudes. '

The Canadian goose, another very handsome species, is established in several places in the South Island, but is not known ■to occur in the North Island. The first attempt to acclimatise this bird, in the 'seventies, was a failure, but in 1905 a considerable number were imported by the Government and distributed to various parts of the country, mostly in the South Island Others were liberated in later years, and now this goose is reported as being established in several localities—Lakes Manapouri, To Anau, Hawea, Sumner and also at Waiwera and Glenmark. It 13 said to be increasing in numbers, and contrary to the habits of the bird in* Worth America, it shows no inelinatioa to migrate. Another apparently successful introduction is the Cape Barron goose, although the first attempts to acclimatise it in 1869 and 1871 failed. la 1912 and 1920 others were liberated in the £outh Island, and the latest reports were that they wero thriving. A bird ™T? i 3S «! he ,? hinese goose ; was imported by the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society about 1874, but three years later there were .only four left. It i 3 fw V bera*ea or not. The whitefronted goose, a. regular visitor to the B"fash Isles, and an entirely graminivorous bird, was introduced in 1905' when iTtT"^?*! d from the Government o£k- Acclimatisation So£h» t- l ere 1S no record of their a t On' howeY"- Ten birds tnow^ two other birds, referred to as the Ade^

Society from 1866 to 1870 S? Soeie^v t, Auckla, nd Acclimatisation o£tltV» ♦" Olly.two w»e .turned dSimp?ri s A ur Pns«g that the birds disappeared. A species of curassow a. parts of America only, in wooded coun1A t ?oS Ught into tlie c<"^tiy ia M;£,? nV 874 oby the Canterbur/Ac^ climatisation Society, but there "is no fntTl° f its The LhxeamS i* c "P™B^^ of the pheasant iltj th, e + Af"Can continent, was fiwfc mtroduced to New Zealand by the early missionaries and liberated'in Hie l£L?l fls? nd!. strict. Two South Island acclimatisation societies importNorT™ 11 , 18W- EUd 1867 ' and a numW * PMVate, pe °Ple a number m several parts. It is TB P° n rtf *at the gume Pa-f?wl Ito be" found as a wild bird in tho Aberfeldy district, near Wanganui. The common or Mexican.turkey, another well-known, bird has gone wild in various parts of the country, according to the Hon. • -I* homPSM- The pea-fowl, too, is wild in bush districts inland from Uanganui and in parts of the WairTrapa. Th ls bird was first brought to W Zealand as early as 1843, Mr. Jermngham, of Wellington received some. Many were latlr introboundm i/,3, liberated some fowl, and also gave some to North Island Natives r t eXI l eaT, s later- The fowl estabhshed itself as a wild bird for a time but later entirely disappeared