38 Sydney Porter—Notes on New Zealand Birds


of discussion, firstly on account of its origin and secondly as to whether

it is beneficial or detrimental to the country.


Prior to 1856 the bird was unknown in New Zealand. After that

date small numbers were observed in the South Island which, as time

went on, multiplied exceedingly until at the present time, with the

exception of the introduced Sparrow, it is certainly the commonest bird

in the country. The question arises, how did these birds get to New

Zealand ? It is difficult to think of these fragile little creatures crossing

a thousand miles of ocean without a resting-place. If they did cross

it could not have been by their own efforts, they must have been

either blown over by some strong wind or carried by human agency,

for apart from the effort required they would be unable to subsist

without food for such a length of time. The Zosterops are not migrants

in the true sense of the word, for though they are nomadic in some

countries they never migrate long distances. Then again, it is a

strange thing how these birds which belong to a tropical genus could

manage to acclimatize themselves to a comparatively cool climate

where conditions in winter are often very severe. But be it as it may,

we shall never solve the mystery, like the creation of the world it

will always be a matter of conjecture. That the bird does feel the

severe conditions in the winter there is little doubt, for I have been

told by some of New Zealand’s hardy “ he-men ” who lived in huts

and tents at high altitudes during the winter-time that the birds would

upon occasion crowd into the tents and huts for the little extra warmth

and in one case, when the conditions were very severe, the birds crept

in under the flaps of the tent until the place was simply crowded with

them. This was no joke for the campers, as the mess caused by several

thousands of these birds is very considerable, also they ate every bit

of food left about. In the southern districts the birds will enter houses

in bad weather and consume everything edible, butter, bread, meat,

or anything lying about. Needless to say there must be a very heavy

mortality in hard weather, especially in the far south and in Stewart

Island, though perhaps they would not be so badly affected in the

latter place, which is still covered with the magnificent native

forest.


When hard pressed nothing seems to come amiss to these birds



