Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand (1870) (14595280188)

Identifier: transactionsofro70roya (find matches)
Title: Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand
Year: 1870 (1870s)
Authors: Royal Society of New Zealand
Subjects: Science
Publisher: Wellington, N.Z. : The Society
Contributing Library: Brigham Young University Hawaii, Joseph F. Smith Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Consortium of Church Libraries and Archives



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hing, to dowith the nest or the labour of incubation. It is very generally distributedover the country, although large numbers are only to be met with in certainlocalities in the North Island, where it is in some parts, or has been, ofcommon occurrence; for, in the season, numbers were to be seen hanging upin the poulterers shops in Wellington, which had been brought to that marketby the steamers from Hawkes Bay; we say has been, as the supply appears tohave failed; for the past two winters we have certainly missed the Shovelors. For some years after settling here, we regarded this bird as quite arara avis, we observed it so very seldom, and then only in the neighbourhood ofthe Pakaia ; it is now much oftener met with than was formerly the case. Onthe wide expanse of Lake Ellesmere, and the less extensive mountain lakesin the Ashburton country, it is frequently seen in considerable numbers;occasionally specimens have been obtained near Christchurch. a j o> u I- Z) hh N to z:<crh
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co \~ o z: 1=1 -L n cr £ U c3 u_ <3 Ul V f« °2 $ I 1 4 < 4 s 103 For years we hunted unsuccessfully for the nest, trying the most likelyswamps in the neighbourhood of its haunts, in the hope of making thediscovery, but our diligent quests were in vain ; one of the writers sons wasat last successful, as the following communication will show :— Hurrah forthe Shovelors ! Yesterday (Nov. 7), we found a nest at last; it was placednot in a swam)), or even near water, but on the side of one of the low downsin Craig Phillips (near the Rangitata), sheltered by a couple of tufts of tussockand a plant of Spaniard grass (Aciphylla) ; it was made of fine grass, in whichwas a fair amount of down, but not so much as is usually seen in the nest of thegrey duck (A. superciliosa) ; it is deep, and rather narrow across the top (about7 inches) ; the eggs, ten in number, ovoiconical in form, very smooth and finein texture, creamy white with