HUNTSMEN FIND KIWI

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 114, 31 May 1937, Page 6

HUNTSMEN FIND KIWI

Discovery in Wakarara Ranges A fine specimen of kiwti, standing ahout 15 inches liigh and with a .beak about seven inches long, was discovered iu the Wakarara ranges' beyoud Makaretu last week by Mr H. J. Fergussou aud a party of three others from Waipukurau while they were pig-hunting. So far ae is known locally, kiwis have never been found ia the Wakarara* before, and for this reasoa the fiud has given rise to considerable interest. Mr Fergussou has reported the' matter to Mr A. Crooks, a member of the Hawke's Bay Acclimatisation Society, who in turn has communicated -with the secretary of the society, Mr li. M. Ohadwick. "While we were out pig-hunting, my dog began to nose his way among some fern, and we noticed that he had bailed up a kiwi," said Mr Fergueson on Saturday evening. "I grabbed it aud put it in my sack. After we had gouo some distance I had a look at it, and found that one of its legs was brokoy in two places and that it was bleedin^ at the beak. Thinking it was nearly dead, I deeided to put an end to it* masery, so I killed it." lir Fergusson brought it back to town, plaCed it in a freezer and then communicated with Mr Crooks. He said that it was a splendid specimen, and regretted keenly that he saw fit to destroy it, but this he did solely for humane reasons. "I would dearly like to keep it as a souvenir of many interesting pighunting excunsions," he added, "but I must wait and see. what the Min'ister of Internal Affairs has to say about it. I've never heard of kiwis being found in the Wakavaras before, and persomallv I doubt whether there are many to be found there. ' ' Thc kiwi was a Hen bird,