THE-NATIVE BIRDS.

Shannon News, 6 February 1923, Page 3

THE-NATIVE BIRDS.

REPORT PRESENTED TO NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE; , PROSPECTS HOPEFUL. At yesterday’s meeting of the New Zealand Institute the following report respecting bird life on Ivapiti Island was presented: — ' ' Messrs G. H. M. McClure, W. H. Field, M.P., E. Phillips Turner, and Professor 11. B. Kirk visited the Island l on i March ISth knd March 19th. ,

After ( a fairly comprehensive inspection of the island it was evident that; sheep were fairly numerous in all the open portions and to some extent woie present in some of the busli-elad portions. At the northern end, where the Crown Lands' abut on the native-owned portion of the island, and along the eastern coast and around Rangatira, the sheep were nearly all shorn ones; but in the Taepiro clearing and from there to the southern end they were mostly , wild sheep.

In all, some 45 goats ■were seen, 20 of which were on the eastern coast of the island between'the Maraetakaroro stream and Whurekohu Bay, where there is practically no bush and where tauhinu and manuka scrub is now growing on what was formerly open land in Danthonia grass. A few were seen in the bush. It is not possible to make any useful estimate of. 1 the numbers on the island from the observations of so short a visit, nor does that greatly mattery seeing'that all are to be killed. As bearing, however, on the efficiency of (lid caretaker, it should be stated that many dead gouts,i-or remains of dead goats, were seen. Those were -in very

varied condition as/ to freshness, from goats killed wntliir jt week or so to skeletons and other remains of goats killed a year or more back. They* were to be found in practically all parts 1 , ‘visited, and often at a considerable distance from .the track taken by most of the party; in other words, in positions such that the observation of them by. members of the party could have noth-

ing to do with'the route taken, in so far as. that route was suggested by caretaker. We arc satisfied that, the care taker has not neglected this difficult part of his work.

On the damage done by goats and sheep, there is no need that We should enlarge. The most curious indication , of this, is that, 1 except in the denser Irtish there is never more than partial regeneration, and often there is degeneration that is obviously progressive.

Many dead trees were seeil, especially ratas; but in nearly all. cases these trees were of greater height than the surrounding bush, and, it \is probable that tlieir death is due to the very windswept condition of the island; but it may be due to ‘bacterial or'fungoid disease. It is certainly not ; due to the presence of stock. No trace could be found of injury to the bark, and many of them are still surrounded by bush too dense for stock to penetrate.'These trees- have been dead for many years. It will be remembered that Dr. Cockayne described them in his report presented to Parliament in 1907.

Tlie trees mostly in evidence are karuka, kohekohe, kawakawa, nialioc, ta wa, rowarewa, tor,o, nguio, porokaiwhin. kohcpiio, ' rangiora, akeako, horeku, horopito, manuka; in the gullies, mamaku, punga, and nikau are fairly numerous. ■

In suitable places, birds were numerous, and the volume of song great and I varied. Makomako, tubs aud parakeet.- 1 were abundant; very many white heads were seen; fantails, wrens, robins am; tits were' fairly numerous; wckas were scon and heard everywhere. Few pigeons -were seen. This is not strange, seeing that the pigeon, like the kaka, is rather a visitor to the island than a permanent resident. Even 50 years ago although, pigeons might be very numerous on the island for a month or two in each year, they passed most of I their time on the mainland. Among 1 the parakeets were several of the large Antipodes Islands specials, liberated -on Ivapiti seme years ago. The committee is satisfied' that the caretaker is doing his work well, and that when the fence is erected and sheep are removed, the island will become a bird-saiictuary in the proper sense of the term. The completion of the work of exterminating goats cannot bo. achieved in a few weeks, seeing how many places are accessible only with difficulty, but we think that within a year goats should be very hunt to find); even if the last has not. by then been killed. We are of opinion that the caretaker should, with the consent,,of the owners, visit the small islands from time 1o time, and should leave no chance of rabbits remaining on them. Professor Kirk reported On December 2Sth that-tlie fence dividing the native lands from the" rest of the island had been erected by the Government and the natives called upon to remove nil their sheep from the Crown Lands, The Government has proceeded actively with the killing of goat sand opossums.