THE WHITE CRANE AT FOXTON.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3316, 21 October 1919, Page 6

THE WHITE CRANE AT FOXTON.

I With reference to the white cirane which was discovered at Foirton recentIly a. correspondent to the Dominion gives the following deseription:—— l Agltliough lodally krfown ‘as ,: {the I “white crane,” the bird is not, strictI 1y speaking, a crane, but a heron, and the natural history books refer to it as the “white heron,” or, technically, the Ardea egretta. The whole of the‘ plumage is snowy white. The eyes are‘ycllow, the loral skin being of a greenish yellow, though it has occasionally been found brown- » ish coloured. The legs are black, being } tinged With yellow. . l‘ Its length is 40 inches. The extent of its wings is 51% inches. The bill measures five inches along the ridge, the lower mandibfe being 6%_‘.- inches in length. The middle ifoes and claw are '4l- inches long, the hind toe and-claw being 2-1; inches in length. The “white crane” is a "stately bird, and as it stalks about its haunts, or in shallow water, its beautiful snow-Whifte plumage renders it a very striking and conspicuous object. It frequents swampy areas and’ feeds on eels"'«a.nd fresh-water fish. The bird is naturally timid and shy, and it is difficult to gain near access to it,

The first recordéd specimen in New Zealand was seen at Whaingaroa (Raglan) in 1853. Andther ‘was shot. >3l’: Hurley’s mill reservoir, Wellington, in 1867. In 1858 one made its appearance in the Wairarapa, énd in 1859 Timaru was visited by‘ at least one adult bird, which fell a victim to powder aid shdf. Whangape Lake, iLOWer Waikafo, was favoured gy avvisit from a pair in 1864, and in 1865 a pair also paid a visit of several weeks’ dura‘tion to Whangarei.‘ The district at tire mouth (if the Make. tu River, as Well as the banks of ‘the

Waihi were siniilarly favoured in 1867. The beautiful plumage of this remarkable bird has always been prized by the Maoris and the Maori folk-lore is full of reference to it. (Vide “Tho Lament for To Hiakai” in Sir George Grey’s “‘Poetry of the New ~Zeala'nd— I; ers,” page 162.) , Although so rarely found in New ' Zealand, there is probably no other bird so widely distributed throughout Lhe § globe. The white heron‘ is common in Hon. It is found throughout China. It ‘extends from the Malay Archipeligo to §A.ustl'alia (on the eastern side) so far ias Tasmania. lit. hasleven been found in Siberia. It is common in Asia Minor ’and occasionally visits both Palestine and Greece. As a st:-a:ggler it has been | seen in the British Isles,