Notes from Far and Near. 145 



Birds in the Wanganui District. 



The following Nature Notes, by James Druramond, F.Z.S., 

 P.L.S., are extracts from cuttings from the N.Z. Herald, kindly 

 sent by our esteemed member Mr. F. Howe, and should prove 

 of general interest. — Ed. 



New Zealand ornithologists regard Wanganui as one of the 

 classical districts of the Dominion. It will give a great deal 

 of pleasure to readers of this column therefore to learn on the 

 authority of Mr. TJiomas Dix, whose work as a Surveyor has 

 given him a wide bush experience, that native birds are still fairly 

 plentiful in the district. 



Mr. Dix finds that small birds are more plentiful than 

 larger species, a condition that seems to prevail in most parts of 

 the Dominion. The Eiro-riro (Grey Warbler), Wren, Fantail, Tit, 

 Lark, White-eye, Shag, Tui, Dotterel, Ka-ka, Crow, Shining Cuckoo, 

 Weka, Kiwi, Pigeon, Harrier, and Bellbird are fairly numerous; and 

 the Eail. Parrakeet, Swamp-hen, Long-tailed Cuckoo, Bittern, and 

 Sparrow-hawk, though not very plentiful, are frequently seen. This 

 is a long and satisfactory list. It is specially gratifying to take 

 account of the fact that it includes the North Island Crow, which in 

 recent years has often been renorte 1 tj be extinct. These birds may not 

 be plentiful in all parts of the district, but in some localities they 

 are " exceedingly numerous." It is the Grey Warbler, with its 

 happy nature, that appeals most to Mr. Dix. " Its whistle can be 

 heard during the heaviest of storms, and then there is not even a 

 sound from the other birds. About 16 years ago an old Maori man. 

 in Taranki mentioned that the Eiro-riro slightly changed its notes 

 and whistled more shrilly before rain. I have studied the bird 

 closely and have found that this is correct. 



Bellbirds are exceptionally plentiful on the watershed of the 

 Wanganui and Manga whero Elvers. It is only recently that Mr. 

 Dix has come to realise what a bonny bird the Bellbird is. One 

 beautiful morning he found a Tui and five Bellbirds within a 

 radius of half a chain and there seemed to be a compeitition as 

 to which should sing the sweetest. All the birds were singing 

 the same tune, and the Bellbirds probably were mocking the Tui, 

 All the Bellbirds finished with a note which resembled a nicely- 

 tuned bell, but which was missing in the Tui's song.;' Crows also 

 are plentiful on the watershed. They seem to be more plentiful 

 during the winter on the tops of ridges. They are usually found 

 at an altitude of about 2,000ft., and they favour the Tawhero 

 more than any other tree for their haunts. The Kiwi is fairly 

 plentiful on the watershed of the Waitotara and Wanganui Elvers, 

 "but they can also be found, though not in great numbers, on the 

 Mangawnero -Wanganui watershed. In the former locality Mr. Dix 

 recently caught a half -grown Kiwi. He says that it was amusing 

 to see the way in which it ran. It seemed!" 'tOi te a black ball 



