Sydney Porter—Notes on New Zealand Birds



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rapidity that the younger generation have no idea that the country

was forested at all.


The South Island of New Zealand reminds me of a woman with her

hair shorn off, for the wonderful vegetation was to New Zealand what

the hair is to a beautiful woman. No country in the world has been

spoiled to such an extent in so short a time. True there are forest

reserves but they are infinitesimal compared to the barren areas.


The native birds are exceedingly scarce. Imported birds abound,

Sparrows, Goldfinches, Redpoles by the thousand. There are rabbits

by the million.


The success of my trip through New Zealand was entirely due to

the kindness of Mr. Rowland Hutchinson, the Honorary Secretary

of the Avicultural Society of New Zealand, and also to other members

of the Society, who made me more than welcome and who made a

period of six months seem more like six weeks.


The New Zealand Scaup (Fuligula novceseelandice)


This jolly little duck appears to be nowhere plentiful on the North

Island and is found mainly on the clear inland lakes where I saw it

in pairs. It is exceedingly tame on the lakes of the North Island

sanctuaries, especially on the Lakes Waikaremoana and Waikare-iti,

where it is free from persecution.


It is much more plentiful on the lakes of the Southern Island

than anywhere else. Around the wharf at Queenstown there are several

small flocks absolutely tame and always waiting for bits of food thrown

to them by the tourists. The Scaup is a great diver and can be seen

swimming in the clear waters searching for food at the bottom of the

lakes. Often one of the large trout will be seen in attendance following

the duck and finding food in the mud disturbed by the bird. These

ducks have a habit of frequently lifting themselves out of the water

and exposing the light under parts.


Though by no means brightly coloured this bird has a very great

charm which is mainly accounted for by the rich browns and pleasing

shape and by its extreme tameness when not persecuted. In New

Zealand it is known as the Black Teal but is totally unlike a teal in



