Aprit 18, 1907 | 
NATURE 
595 
ticulars about the composition of the milk of a_ well- 
managed and well-fed herd of Shorthorn dairy cows. The 
herd, numbering twenty-two, was maintained for the pur- 
pose of supplying Rosslynlee Asylum with milk. The milk 
of each cow was weighed daily, and sampled weekly ; 
the mixed milk of the herd was also sampled once a week. 
The investigation began in May, 1905, and lasted for a 
year. The cows were milked at 6.30 a.m. and at 4 p.m., 
and, as is always the case when the milking periods are 
the mills 
unequal, was found to be poorer after 
the longer than after the shorter interval. The 
morning milk averaged 315 per cent. of fat for 
the whole year, while the evening milk averaged 
3-91 per cent. There was a marked difference in the milk 
of individual cows; one animal, for example, produced 
655 gallons of milk during the year, containing 3-58 per 
cent. fat in the morning and 4-81 per cent. fat in the 
evening, while another produced 638 gallons, which con- 
tained only 2-96 per cent. fat in the morning and 3-5 per 
cent. fat in the evening. Until the middle of January the 
mixed milk of the herd always contained more than 3 per 
cent. of fat, but in spite of good management the quality 
then began to fall, and during the next three months the 
mixed milk contained less than 3 per cent. of fat eight 
times in the morning and four times in the evening; as 
the milk was sampled only once a week, it must, there- 
fore, have usually contained less than 3 per cent. of fat 
in the mornings in February, March, and April. Although 
the cows were liberally fed, additional rations were tried 
for the purpose of improving the quality of the milk, and 
four animals were given 2 lb. linseed cake and 2 lb. oats 
per head per day. In accordance with experience, it was 
found that the addition of concentrated foods to rations, 
already liberal, produced no improvement in the milk. 
West of Scotland Agricultural College Reports an Experi- 
ments, 1906.—The seventh and eighth annual reports of 
the West of Scotland Agricultural College have been issued 
as a single volume. This volume contains reprints of four 
bulletins which have already been issued separately. 
Among the subjects dealt with are the uses of inoculating 
materials for leguminous crops. Several crops were 
treated, but the only positive results were obtained with 
lucerne. At two centres it was found that lucerne was 
much benefited by treatment with Hiltner’s inoculating 
material. In the first case lucerne was sown on April 12 
on land which had probably never grown this crop, and 
had certainly not done so for twenty-eight years. Part 
of the seed was treated and part untreated. Early in 
July the crop growing from treated seed began to show 
signs of improvement, and in August, when flowering, it 
stood 20 inches to 21 inches high, while the adjacent un- 
treated crop was but 13 inches to 14 inches. It was 
noticed that the inoculating material only did good on land 
which was well supplied with phosphates and potash; on 
soil deficient in either of these, inoculation produced no 
effect. At the second centre lucerne had been growing 
for a year before it was treated, and it was noticed that 
a few nodules had developed on the roots, but the crop 
was far from vigorous. On May 28 some sand was 
inoculated, and this was sprinkled over part of the 
lucerne. On July 15 the lucerne was cut; the treated 
plot then yielded 56 cwt. and the untreated plot 54 cwt. 
per acre, so that inoculation had not been effective. 
Directly after mowing, however, an improvement in the 
treated crop was noticed, and this improvement became 
more marked as time went on, so that when a second 
cutting was made on September 25 the land which had 
been treated with Hiltner’s culture produced 74 cwt. per 
acre, aS against 30 cwt. from the untreated soil. These 
experiments were made in 1905, when, at the instance 
of the Board of Agriculture, similar experiments were 
made in all parts of the country; and the West of Scot- 
land tests ilustrate the general result, which was that 
inoculating material proved useful for a leguminous crop 
newly introduced into a district, but was seldom beneficial 
in the case of crops commonly cultivated. The nodule 
organisms of these are abundant in most soils. Several of 
the experiments recorded in this volume deal with the best 
time of year at which to apply manures. In the case of 
turnips, the conclusion is stated that superphosphate, basic 
NO. 1955, VOL. 75] 
slag, kainit, and muriate of potash are better applied in 
spring than in autumn; for hay, on the other hand, it is 
better to apply potash manures in autumn than in spring. 
For both turnips and potatoes it was found to be more 
profitable to apply farmyard manure in spring than in 
autumn. 
ANTIPODEAN BIRD-LIFE.* 
ie an illustrated pamphlet bearing the date 1903, and 
published at the Government Press, Wellington, Mr. 
R. Henry, who has for many years acted as caretaker 
of the bird-reserve on Resolution Island, furnishes a fund 
of interesting information with regard to the habits and 
life-history of the flightless birds of New Zealand, with 
notes relating to other species. As he himself remarks, if 
anybody ought to know what there is to be known about 
New Zealand birds it is the author, who has, willy-nilly, 
enjoyed exceptional opportunities of observing them. As 
might have been surmised, a large amount of space is 
devoted to the birds commonly known in this country as 
kiwis (Apteryx). It appears, however, according to the 
author, that this usage is not justified, the name: kiwi 
belonging by right only to the grey species and its 
immediate relatives, while such species as A. australis 
and A. oweni are designated ‘‘ roa’’ by the Maori. Very 
interesting are the author’s observations with regard to 
the breeding habits of these birds, among which the cock 
assumes the office of incubation. As regards kiwis, it is 
stated that although they live in nearly the same situations 
as rowas, they prefer open ground, while the latter seek 
the densest shade of the forest. ‘‘ Kiwis generally have 
white grubs in their stomachs, with things like big 
maggots, wire-worms, and all that class, while the roas 
depend more upon earthworms, water-insects, and berries.”’ 
When a roa becomes conscious of the presence of intruders 
it alters its usual stealthy gait to a loud tramp. Is this, 
it may be asked, defiance ? 
A very strange statement is made about the kakapo, or 
ground-parrot, namely, that it breeds only once in two 
years. This, however, is not all, for it is stated that, in 
place of some individuals nesting in one year and others 
in the succeeding season, the whole of the birds will breed 
in one particular year, while in the following year none 
will do so. 
Continuing his remarks on the habits of the kakapo, 
the author observes that, ‘‘ months before the appointed 
breeding season the male is developing an air-sac in his 
throat which he can puff up like a drum, and which may 
act like a sounding-board to assist in making the curious 
drumming notes in the spring. This note is not unlike the 
boom of the bittern, but is repeated five or six times in 
succession, and can be heard at a great distance. .. . It 
appears as if the breeding season were controlled by the 
males, for when there is no drumming in the early summer, 
there are no eggs or young ones.” 
Another bird about which the author has a good deal 
to say is the weka rail, or wood-hen, and it cannot be 
said that he gives it a good character, mainly on account 
of its egg-stealing habits. One of these birds, although 
it had never previously seen a goose in its life, seemed 
to know by instinct that the eggs of the latter would be 
buried in the ground, and promptly proceeded to disinter 
them. Apart from moas and the nearly extinct Notornis, 
penguins are the last of the flightless birds to claim the 
attention of the author. He has, however, much to say 
regarding such species as black swans, paradise-ducks, 
grebes, moreporks, &c., and in the case of all these the 
ornithologist should find much to interest him in_ this 
little volume, which is certainly a storehouse of inform- 
ation with regard to the habits of New Zealand’s birds. 
It may be hoped that the Government will not only see 
its way to maintain Resolution Island as a bird-sanctuary, 
but that it may establish other stations of the same 
nature 
1 ‘The Habits of the Flightless Birds of New Zealand ; with Notes on 
other New Zealand Birds.” By R. Henry. Pp. 88; illustrated. (Wel- 
lingten, 1903-) 
“Glimpses of Australian Bird Life.” Thirty-one original photographs 
direct from Nature, with Notes by R. Hall. Pp.63. (Melbourne: T. C. 
Lothian, rg06.) Price rs. 
