Old Bird Books

Forest and Bird, Issue 297, 1 August 2000, Page 3

Old Bird Books

(Mrs)

Margaret Clarke,

I was very interested in the article in a recent Forest & Bird magazine about Lily Daff and her paintings of New Zealand birds. It prompted me to hunt out my copy of Forest Inhabiting

Birds 3rd edition 1959. More importantly it also prompted me to have a new look at a much older book, The ‘Three Castles’ Book of New Zealand Birds. It was given to my, now deceased, brother in the mid twenties, before New Zealand Forest and Bird was formed. The preface was signed by Thos MacKenzie, president, NZ Native Bird Protection Society. I would very much like to know more about this book. When would it have been published and is it a rare one? How do the paintings rank with Lily Daff’s? Has it value as an old New Zealand book or as a record of New Zealand birds? Any information will be most welcome.

rmclarke@wave.co.nz Sir Thomas Mackenzie was the first president of Forest and Bird which was formed in March 1923 as the New Zealand Native Bird Protection Society (see Forest & Bird, February 1998). According to our second-hand bookshop, this book consists of two portfolios of bird paintings. Copies are available from time to time for around $30. Three Castles was a brand of tobacco in those days. — Editor