Sydney Porter—Notes on New Zealand Birds



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several pathetic little corpses, but though they were nearly “ passing

to that last strange change ” their frail and wilting little bodies revived

somewhat when placed over a radiator with a temperature of 80 degrees ;

a light was left burning so that they could feed before settling down

for the night. The next morning instead of corpses there were several

very lively little naked bodies, though two of them seemed to be

shaking with a palsy. Each bird was caged separately, fed on ripe pear,

banana, and a good insectivorous food. In each cage was placed a

spray of privet in lieu of perches, which was kept alive by being placed

in a test tube of water, for I am a great believer in live branches helping

to restore a bird when in bad condition. I think it is the Hindus who

speak about “ prana ”, the life, from the soil which is obtained through

walking barefoot. I think the same sort of thing is transferred to a

bird from the living branches.


Each cage was placed over a radiator, and in a few days each bird

was washed in warm soapy water to get rid of the sticky glutinous mess-

which partly covered their bodies. This gave them another setback

but, after being wrapped in flannel for a while, they recovered. In a

week’s time each could boast of about half a dozen pin feathers, they

were brighter, and did not shake so much. I am sure anyone seeing

them at first would have been unable to tell their species. They might

have been plucked Willow Warblers, Wrens, or anything else for that

matter, only their beaks gave any indication that they were at all

Warblerlike. In a few days the white feathers around the eyes appeared

and so in a few weeks the derelicts were saved.


No soul of a lost sinner required as much effort to save as those

frail little lives ! But to me that is the greatest joy of bird keeping,

to restore to health a dying bird.


I find that it is a mistake to feed Zosterops on the usual sunbird

food, that is the Mellin’s, honey and milk. It is too stimulating, and

in time seems to affect the bird’s brain, and they become mentally

deranged. It is certainly useful as a “ pick-me-up ” for these birds

after a long voyage, but should not be continued for long. A good

insectivorous food and plenty of ripe fruit is all that any species of

Zosterops require. Plenty of water is necessary, for they are great

bathers. In dry weather in New Zealand one usually sees crowds



