RARE VISITOR

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 53, 25 May 1927, Page 9

RARE VISITOR

The Graceful Kotuku Auckland Museum Gifts DR. BUCK’S COLLECTION WHEN the late Mr. Massey once visited the North Auckland district his visit was likened by a picturesque native spgaker to “the flight of the white heron.” The compliment is really rather a double-barrelled one. A polite hint is implied that the visitor should come a little more often than the graceful white heron, seen only too rarely by Maoris or Europeans. A beautiful mounted specimen of the white heron, or kotuku, as the Maoris preferred to call the bird, has been presented to the Auckland Museum by Mr. Frank Macfarlane, of Devonport. The bird is in an excellent state of preservation, despite the fact that it was procured in Southland over 40 years ago. x SCOTTISH SPINNING-WHEEL

Mr. Macfarlane has also given the museum an old Scottish spinningwheel, a collection of Scottish geological specimens, and some Pacific Islands weapons. Mrs. A. M. Prentice, of Te Kauwhata, has forwarded a partly-worked mere, which is of unusual interest inasmuch as it shows the process of manufacture.

A bone needle, found when quarrying eight feet below the surface at Howick, is a gift from Mr. J. Dunn. A rare stone top, an unusually small one, has been given by Mr. A. W. B. Powell, who found it on the sandhills at Muriwai. ADZES FROM ISLANDS

Dr. Peter Buck, who has been a consistent supporter of the Auckland Museum, has made a valuable gift of adzes from Rarotonga, Aitutaki (Cook Islands), and carved sinkers and pounders (Maori). Dr. Buck’s collection is regarded as particularly valuable by the curator, Mr. Gilbert Archey. Other gifts include: Mr. W. Blomfield, of Auckland, Maori doll, from .Gisborne district.

Mr. Charles Eyes, of Avondale, interesting stone adze found at Avondale, which strongly resembles Cook Islands examples. Miss E. Brown, of Remuera, knife made from German shell fragments, also a German sandbag made of paper.

Mr. C. H. Forte, sleeping-bag made by South American woman in British Guiana 50 years ago. The natural history section includes gifts of a tiger’s skull, and the tale of a whip-ray, from Mr. Percy Hadley, and a fine specimen of the large butterfly Hypo limnas, which is rarely found in New Zealand, though it is fairly common in Australia. The butterfly was donated by Mr. A. T. Pyecroft.