Breeding Successes in New Zealand



23



cargo to Derby and warm bird-rooms before dark. The dirty sky

promised a bad night for road travellers.


The weather cleared somewhat, and greater pace was made in an

endeavour to get through before darkness descended. Mr. Porter,

who was driving, succeeded, and shortly the lights of Derby were

in front. Soon, the strangers from afar were given an exceptionally

cordial welcome by Mr. and Mrs. Porter and family. The first care was

the delicate cargo. Unpacking proceeded rapidly and the whole of the

hall-w T ay, with its antique furniture, was soon covered with cages

of birds and bird gear. Attention was first given to several very sick

Tanagers that Mr. Porter had bought in London, in an endeavour to

save their lives, or, at any rate, give them a few days or weeks of

comfort before they passed on to happy feeding grounds.


The birds were put in warm quarters already prepared for them,

and certainly very few were showing any ill-effects of the arduous

trip north from London. In the morning, only two had succumbed.

In actual fact, the birds’ attendants had suffered more than the birds,

for both Mr. Porter and myself nursed bad colds for several weeks while

the birds had fully recovered in twenty-four hours. In Mr. Porter’s

bird-room the birds spent the winter and the spring of 1935, until

once again they set out on a long voyage, this time in May, 1935,

to New Zealand, leaving London on the coldest 16th May that England

had experienced for many years. Snow fell at Victoria Station that day !


The numerous official requirements for New Zealand were completed

during the afternoon and, after a farewell dinner wfith friends that

night, I went aboard the ship round about 10 o’clock, happy that

I was on my way back to good old New Zealand and sorrowful that I

was parting company with the wonderful friends that I had made

during my busy stay in the Old Country. Next day, going down the

Channel, we heard that enormous damage had been done all over

England by an unprecedented late fall of snow in what was really

mid-spring. The birds, however, were made snug in their quarters

’tween decks, canvased off from draughts, and heated and lighted

by numerous clusters of ship’s lights. There they were well protected

from the boisterous w T eather during the run down to warmer climates—

and there in those quarters, let it be added, I worked with birds as



