NEW ZEALAND STARLINGS [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—I
was much interested in Lord Olivier's account of the starlings. At my -home forty miles north of Wellington we were, some years ago, much troubled with grass grubs. Then the starlings came in clouds and the hills became pock-marked with the little holes they made to get at the grubs. Also, at that time there were many grasshoppers. Grasshoppers and grubs gradually disappeared, and the trout in the local stream, which in pre-starling times I had known caught up to 11f lbs., gradually came down in weight and it became lucky to get a two-pounder.
These starlings didn't roost on the mainland but went off to an island five miles off the land. I have seen them in numbers on dead giant Rata trees which, by being on fire, have made a clearing in the " bush " some five or six miles inland, but have never observed them on living trees. I think all these birds roosted on the island, but I don't think they always followed the same practice in getting there. I have seen them in two clouds, and sometimes in smaller straggling lots.—I am, Sir, &c., [Mr. Samuel Barker writes to us on the same subject, saying that these insect-eating birds were deliberately imported, but in a few generations had become fruit-eater& —En. Spectator.]
Previous page
