ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. (BY AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT.)

North Otago Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 1886, 13 May 1878, Page 2

ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. (BY AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT.)

Shaus. — Those voracious fisheators aro having a very trying timo of it in the Otopopo district. Every man's «\\n is turned upon them. The best timo to bring them to bag ia at high tide, when they are driven from their fishing groands by the advancing waters, and resort to tho mouth of tho Otepopo River to rest from their labors, and meditate furthor mischief. Whilst sunning themselves upon the sandbanks at tho ostuary in question they fall an ea3y proy to the sportsman, Mr Young, of Otopopo, having killed eight of their number by a single shot the othor day. Ono shag killed in the district weighed seveutoen pounds and a half, and upon examination was found to bo loaded to tho muzzle with (iah of various sizes, and in various atagos of digestion. The liberal offer (by tho Acclimatisation Society) of one shilling a shag seems to bo fully appreciated by the Otepopo sportsmen, fur wo obsorvo that Dr Smith, trhn pays tho bounty, has some sixty shags' heads nailed up (grim trophies !) on his stable walls. Mr Begg, Secretary to the Dunedin Acclimatisation Society, writes as follows:—" I am glad to see that you aro taking steps for the destruction of shag*. They destroy numbers of trout, and even attack fish of three and four pounds weight." I earnestly hope that every true sportsman will show no meroy to those devouring vermin. Giant Pbtrbl. — A fine specimen of the giant Petrel (ossifragus giganteus), the largest of all the true Petrels— and whose proper haunts are these tempestuous seas

that rago around Capo Horn — was caught tho other day at Mooraki, and forwarded to Dr Smith, of Otopopo, who, you may bo sure, gavo this poor storm-stayod mariner* a hoarty welcome.

Pheasants. — These birds must be nrctty numerous in the Province of Auckland. Wilting from bis new residence near Newmarket, Mr John Mains, lato of Otepopo, remarks " The pheasants are a great nuisance. They have eaten up all my mangolds, turnips, and maize, and I cannot save potatoes or, indeed, anything else from them. So, you see, they are thoroughly acclimatised up here."

The Sparrow-hawk and the HiohIIA.NDKR. —It is astonishing with whnt prejudice many of the old identities in thii district regard thp laudable efforts of our AcclimiiMaition Society to introduce birds and game. Whilst conversing tho other day with a well-known character, who devotes his attention to keeping a district road in repair, a sparrow-hiwk glided pint on its errand of destruction. Donald's face instantly darkened. " Ech 1 ech ! och ! " exclaimed ho ; " thoro's anither o' your tamm Eenglesh pirds."

Ki-kas.— Those birds have put in their appearance in considerable numbers in the Otepopo bush.

White Crank. — Ono of those rare and lovely waders frequents the waters of Allday Bay and the Kiikanui River, and has thus far contrived to escape the numerous and merciless gunners who are daily attempting to compass its destruction.