NATURE AND THE MAN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 330, 17 September 1932, Page 3

NATURE AND THE MAN

Leo

Fanning.)

CALL OF THE BUSH BEAUTIES OF N.Z. FOREST ARE A NATION AL ASSET. SAYE NATIVE BIRDS.

(By

Her never the fever-mist shrouding, 'Nor pall of dun smoke overcloudingNor pail of dun smoke overclouding Vast cities of clamorous night, But the voice of abundance of waters, Cold rivers that stay not or sleep, Greets children, the sons and the daughters Of light and the deep. — From New Zealand by Williani Pember Iteeves. The late Mr. Reeves, a brilliant New Zealander, warmly loved the. evergreen forest of his native land. "Though no great traveller," he wrote, "I have s'een heautiful landscapes in fourteen or fifteen countries, and yet hold to it that certain views of our forest, spreading round lakes and over hills and valleys, peaceful and unspoiled, are sights as lovely as are to. he found. Whence comes their complete beauty ? Of eourse, there are the fine contours of mountain and vale, cliff and shore. And the abundance of water, swirling in torrents, leaping ' in waterfalls, or j winding in lakes or sea-gulfs, aids j greatly. But to me the niagic of the forest — I speak of it where you find it still unspoiled — comes first from its prodigal life and continual variety." Of course the average New Zealander has some pride in his country's forests, but does he know the worth of it, as national wealth? Occasionally it requires a visitor from another country to remind us of the tourist value of marvellous wooded hills and valleys which are warmly admired by travellers from the British Isles, Europe, America and Australia. Here is a remark of Lord Burnham (head of the British Press Delegation which visited N ew Zealand a few years ago) after a drive through a | valley, flanked hy a ferny forest: — j "What particularly struck me was j the exquisite beauty of the verdure | of the forest and the limpid blue of the streams and rivers." > A distinguished scientist, Dr. Jo- j hannes Schmidt, was deeply impressed hy the splendour of the woodlands. "In the native forests alone," he said, "New Zealand has a heritage to be treasured. Preserve what you can for the admiration of visitors like mys'elf, and for the perpetual enjoyment ; of your own sons and daughters; and i in preserving the forests you will also assist in preserving your wonderful bird life. Your fern beauty is unrivalled." Nearly every town of New Zealand is within easy raach of a stand of native forest. The people of every i town should appoint themselves honorary custodians of suitable scenic woodland. The Com'ical Iiiea. New Zealand's kea is one of the most amusing birds in the world, as its scientific name, Nestor notabilie, I indicates. Some years ago Mr. ,Edgar Stead, a zealous student of bird life, had some of these parrots in a larg>e aviary. He invited me to observe their antics — and I was truly astonished hy the quaintness of their capers. He had placed two or three large pieces of drain p'ipe and other obstacles on the grassy ground for the keas' fun-making, and they not disappoint us. They chased one another through the pipes and under and over other things just as frolicsome school boys would do, and they varied their play remarkably. Suddenly they would hecome very sedate, and sit solmenly on the hranches of a tree, as if meditating fresh drollery. During one of these lulls, Mr. Stead reminded me to look out for a domestic drama. He pointed to a young Mr. Kea, a very handsome chap, mak-

ing love to a very pretty Miss Kea, wlio seemed ' pleased with the frisky advances. In the background was Mrs. Kea, a rather old hen, with whom young Mr. Kea had been previously mated. She was angrily watching the liirtatious pair. At last she made a quick swoop, buffeted Miss Kea from the perch, and took her place beside her fickle spouse. He sat crestfallen, in evident awe of his stern mate. He was eager to be ofF, but was afraid to budge. However, the comedy would repeat itself, later ' on, so Mr. Stead said. The Frendly Kakapo. Probably no other country has a more likeable bird than New Zealand's "ground parrot," known as the kakapo, which helps the Dominion to maintain its reputation as a country of distinctive birds. Here is a parrot of brilliant plumage — mosse-green enriched with flecks and spangles of gold, with warm hrown markings on the back and wings — a splash of colouring which should be flashing in the sunlight, but the kakapo is a night rover, ,to which the gorgeous raiment serves no purpose, useful or ornamental, in the darlcness of forests. The bird has large wings, well proportioned to the size of its sturdy body, larger than the Australian cockatoo's, but the wing muscles are weak, and the kakapo has not enough power of flight to escape from the huntsr's dog. "Though it is a parrot, I have never lcnown the kakapo to learn to talk," remarks one nature-lover. "Its brilliant intellileet works in other directions entirely, for it never tires of learning new and difficult tricks. In fact, it demands special attention from one whom it makes a friend. A kakapo in a bush eamp is the life and soul of the lonely habitation, and the wonderful and original tricks performed by this entertainer are beyond description. On one occasion, when exploring the heights of that wonderful rugged sape, located at the mouth of the Waitaha River, in Wrestland, known as Bold Head, my party came upon a large male kakapo hasking in the warm sand. It was captured after a short ehase, and although it set up a defence, it was perfeetly suhdued within an hour, and began to play with its captors — something in the natpre of cat's play. During the three days it was kept in camp, it was persistently looking for excitement and play. The bird is usually referred to hy the hack-country settlers as the "ground parrot," but, being a splendid climber,

it frequently fmds its way into the tops of the medium-sized shrubs and trees. trees. When climbing, mueh use is made of the powerful beak; a half-right and left method is adopted." The food of this quaint bird consists of grasses, berries, seeds and leaves. After a good meal in the night and early hours of the morning, it, retires to its selected resting-place, where the daylight hours are iisually spent, :