26



An Early New Zealand Settler Talks about Birds



they are not ; it is only shooting that makes them afraid of man.

When I have been fencing-off a new burn the Pigeons would after the

first few days (when they found I did not harm them) sit on the stumps

and logs in the sun quite close to where I was working, and some¬

times on the top of the posts I had just erected, so that shows they are

not naturally shy or timid.


Now I must tell you something about another old favourite of

mine, the Weka, or Wood Hen. When I first came here I made sure

I would see and hear them again, but was greatly disappointed to find

they had died out. When a boy living in the Manawatu district, there

were hundreds of them around the township of Ashhurst, and in the

evening, just as it was getting dark, you would hear them calling to one

another. If rain was coming you would hear them calling for miles

around. They seemed, like the Kaka, to know. The settlers used to

say “ Rain coming. Did you notice how the wood hens were calling ” ?

Their call just sounds like “ More wet ”. They are chiefly night birds,

but I have seen them come to a camp door in the shade of the bush

in the daytime and eat scraps we would give them.


We used to wonder where our soap, spoons, etc., went, until we found

the thieves were the Wekas, who seem to have a failing for bright

things, and are full of mischief.


Being a flightless bird, they have very powerful legs and beak,

which I know to my sorrow, for when a boy I tried to carry one home

alive, but was glad to let it go. They are very swift runners, but with

the coming of dogs to New Zealand they have had no chance, or against

the cat, stoats, and weasels either. I remember seeing some of their

eggs found by a bushman under the roots of a tree. I was struck

by their beautiful shape. They were tapered and about the size of a big

pullet’s egg, white, with spots on the big end. I forget what colour

the spots were, but I know they were dark. There were three eggs

in the nest. They are very hardy birds and could be fed in places

safe from dogs, cats, etc., and I believe we could have them in their

hundreds again.


Another bird friend here is the native Ground Lark, one of the

most friendly birds I know. It does not matter if you are at

the cowshed, digging, ploughing, stumping, and clearing up logs, you



