THE LAND BIRDS OF WESTLAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1921, Page 4

THE LAND BIRDS OF WESTLAND.

(Written by tbe late Mr Charles Douglas, the rvell-kitown explorer of 11 io mountains of Westland.) (Continued.) TilK TCI OR PARSON BIRD. There is another extraet evidently by the same individual who deserihed the crow, The name of the bird is a crusher however, and ought to atone for any imperfection in description. “Proslhmedrn Cincinati is a native of New Zealand and possesses remarkable powers of imitation. There is no note of any bird hut what it exactly imitates. When confined' in a cage it learns with the greatest ease and correctness to speak long words or sentences. hark like a dog, mew like a cat. and imitate any sound which is repealed two or three times. Hence it is called the New Zealand mocking bird, and as its plumage is a glossy bl o k ii i. known by the name of the parson bird. It is about the size of a thrush and is delicious' eating.' This is the last extract I will give, tt listing to my own powers of observation ill future. Ally one call under-' stand what it is like if it losembles a thrush, a starling, nr a robin t! an il I gave il even such a splendid name as Prnstliemcdia ( inciuati. To say this bird is called the parson bird simple because it is black, would

apply iust as well to (lie crow, raven or look. If Ihe w ritci of i lie a;lii In lutd ex or seen a Ini lie w mild liitx" kuna :t w 1 1 v it g a such a ciei i.-:il name a-- liaison bird. Il wits so called 11l " il has a lull of snow w l.'ite ell ca Ii m' - I, 1 il s 1 liroal, gi, ing 11 t le- appra i mice ol Wearing a white , hokcr and the hi,.l is inn black but a dark pieen or i:ie). The bead, Heck and I.least ntvgi'-, with white mottled feat Iters giadnallv shading oil' 111 the da. l-.ee parts of li e body. Ii is eerlttinlx a bi-aitl ifully pliimago'l hi,.|, and the closer il is examin'd the belter il looks. The bird Hull most neatly test-nil.:.- i; in app, ursin e is tbe home stalling, and it habiis .lie alike in some tespeets. It has toe same iiiiposi ll -,-e war- ol inserting its heal; into small holes and Irving to make 11 cm la i ger it tin- -ilile. It ia o In-- I; aluttg a iiniitew hole, in down the o el; of a buttle neatly as eomiia'ly as a jaekd iw. hut unlike 1' eia it i fa! miseltievuits when tamed about a boo: As for iln m being called a mucking bird I novei heard such a name applied | to them. I see them all round me j everv day, have lauu'd them and seen] uthei people do the same, and lli'vet ottee heard the tui imitate anything. In captivity I believe a few have been taught to sax a word or tv.u. T’ e -aloe m.t\ l.e said of tig bla, !,l till. It j ra ie iit -t a iiees song.- oi 11 i ::i la-. e he : j i a light a few w olds, 101 lno ntu- ... in | call it ail imitative bird. j It is seldom the tui will lire long ini eaptn ity. t hey are eijloo slmrt lived birds oi they soon mope t bemselves to lea|h i! caged up. hut if tain -I ami ■illuucd to 11 x in and out ol a hiiii-e the (111 ivt* 'Veil (OloUgil and develop;' a singular jealousy of mix biid or beast that entiles inside, attacking •veil dogs and tats with undaunted ,outage. Their motions cm the wing me so tapid and they dash themselves with such forte upon the intruder that even a bird catching tomcat finds outside more comfort, and lie goes out rubbing his eyes with the back of his paw. They understand bln IF and that the first blow is half the battle. So when he has to light tui always begins the combat. Hawks- especially the huge ones have a icrror of them, and well they might. The first tui who sees the enemy attacks it at mice, screaming all the time, which musters the elans from every hush and tree xx Ini pour to war with evident delight. The hawk dues no; attempt t . retaliate, hot puts mi steam and gels out of the country as fast a; possible. Although courageous against enemies, the tui seems to agree x cry well among themselves, seldom omit felling except dining the courting season when they souicl inn- • have a ■ ecfPlc. I sltpp e . el • u pi;, roll . hm. e a row and again. The tui is one ol the la st know n sting birds, as they are Humorous and always pet funning especially on a wet day. In my opinion their song is mure amusing than beautiful. Tliuii note is

somell l iup between a smut and a snoie, with that aggravating sort ol phew with which a xnorei terminates his nasal melody. When singing the bird rutiles his leathers mid look- like an invalid. It hitches up its shoulders. I mean wings, till tlicv tile on a level with his head and the whole altit ;.! ■ white choker included, lemimis one of a pulpit thumping parson i.see picture ol John Knox pleaching Indore Mary (,)neen of .Scots). It a solitary ini’s song is peculiar, they ate almost as good at a ohm us ns the hell birds, although it is a good deal ol what is called a Dutch chorus, everyone singing on his own hook. To wind up they arc splendid eating, when lat, especially in a pie, lint it wouldn't he sale to invite a policeman or a mcmbei ol the Acclimatisation Society to dinner w hen you have such a pie, as the bird is protected for all time, a very unnecessary precaution as the tui can take good care of itself, lie has the mountain tops and the far South to fall back on where be will never tie disturbed. Tl'IK SADDI.RIUCK, This bird was nevei very plentiful on the Coast at any time and was generally very local, only to be seen in certain places. Now it is one of those which have almost disappear'd and are only to lie found ncai the grass line and in the wilder parts of the lat South wlwte there are no inhabitants. They appear to detest anything like settled civilisation. They will come round a lent hut not for long and they avoid a hut or house. At. least 1 never saw «. saddleback near either of them. The saddleback is in sh;i|ie something like a lui. TLc male bird is black in plumage with a small wattle at the root of the beak like the crow. Across the hack is a marking in shape and colniii like a new idling saddle, giving the bird a strange appearance, and its equally strange name. The female has no saddle and its plumage is a dirty green shading to black. They have no song, only a skirling, harsh twittei like the thrush. When they do come near a camp, which is seldom, they don’t lame like most other birds, looking on man with a contemptuous indilferenee. 1 never oven got tlH'in to take butter, an article most New Zealand birds except the pigeon and some insectivt-rous birds would commit a burglary to gei 01. I have been told bv many people ,

t 1 some of them deep in science, that this is a mistake. The bird with the saddle and the one without are not mule and female, but txvu birds of a dillerent species. If this is the case then they are in a transition state and crossing the breed and must finally develope iiito a new bird. But I am simply stating tt fact when I say 1 have seen the saddled one and the other attending to the same Jiesl and young ton s. THE Bid.l- BIRD. This in my opinion is the king ol chorus singers. Those birds first, attracted ('apt Cook’s attention and he or somebody else tor him, gives a x'cix correct description of their wonderful faii v like song, sounding in the early morning like the tinkling of hundreds of well lulled silver bells. As a solo their ding dong is inoiioloiiotts, but when the time is taken up by hundreds from hill and vale the olivet is inagnineent. What improves it the liiids are not seen, being hidden in the dense foliage of the forest. To hear it is a pleasure soon to be a tiling of the past. at least only to he heard in the very wildest districts below .Inek-otis Bay. The bird became silent long holme he disappear* d. lie always knoek- ■ ed oil' a low years after the digger and settlin' appeared in a district. I bun die eats Itnisl-od off the o ,w •miglo-;- bird ~i dio'. e them into the w dds. I m‘> wete not a liillid bird an.! up a ■t I I he able to take rare of them.-ib,: .. l.e: let than main birds t'nii arc s'.iii tloorisloog. B-.-ili.<ps the hi ills ai e the ' soil its of Ihe now- departed fairies, and 11, in disgust Bom imp olieul steam engines, shoddy clothes and pat.'.it medicines. If sie-h is the ease ibex me indeed doomed, for whine i.an t lie x mew go to. No land is left uiivi-it".l exvll i,a jhii-e n.ekx i'duml - m-at the Antarctic circle. A boat's ,T.sv landing litidt races of salmon and sardine tins. B." iy Davis pai ol; ilho and 11 ollnway ’s oiut titenl pots. It is s-ol to think on such a llbjeel. 1 ■!!„. | all bird i. ■mi bittg lilt" a rm" linnet. otilv its bill is long and sleltdei , the hill a hoiii'ysiii-k.'r ■■! n.i inxesti.re.tor of rnllen logs. 'I he I ead iflat on the lop. giving the l-iid a xei\ low inlel|ee;ual appeainnee. As 1 ii. no 1 lief, re it is net a so, bid and will live well enough in a '"'tic dl tin,.:il ee;„ if. In tbe tie d . althon.eh they come close idtmigh, they dnti’l come i"--;,!e a camp like 'lire lobin and other birds, show ing Ihe same e. Tempt m: is itldille'l'lll-c to mall’s pi oeore that .111 itu- atsl'es the 1 1, mis,i. lie, v o ,i'"h'.■ u - j at; "0 - ■ the lI ee biaoe'o-s. I* kill'j into holes with an aim!-- ''token l.i .irtcd exp ssi n lit c a ' " |,ad lost soinethin.; vahtah! ■ end na<l very little hopes of finding ii. Pvrhsi|>> iliev are loiiking In-' ihe graves o. then | altel'stOt sto I’ix e'. .e.o a I ' 1 I well. I (To he cellt ill It' ll I.