Pacific Nature Notes

By Raimanu

Mow Do Migrating Birds

Find Their Way?

Rwtilliam Cullen Bryant

V? wrote of the birds taking “their certain flight . . . from ;one to zone. . . ” But so far we rill don’t seem to be quite sure how ney do this. The problem is being ;udied by scientists in both Europe ;nd America, and maybe there will :e an answer some day.

In the meantime, that there are uch phenomenal flights north and outh across the equator is a matter I continuing wonder to students.

Ir. A. Allen, of Cornell University.

SA, did a fine bit of bird study 'hen he led a party to Alaska, in 1)48, and there discovered and hotographed the nest, eggs, and Dung of the Bristle-Thighed nrlew. The bird has been known /er since Sir Joseph Banks col icted specimens in Tahiti in 1769.

Whether the curlew, and other tigratory waders from the eastern acific which travel via Hawaii, *oss over to the west of merica or take off direct across le ocean to Alaska, has not yet een solved.

What about the island groups in le western Pacific? We’ve been earing in PIM of the godwits from ew Zealand and the Snipe from ustralia which breed in Siberia, it what is their route? Even using le available islands there are still ►me very long hops over the ocean.

In 1951, when the British Research lip HMS Challenger was in the irth Pacific, one of the small aders flew on board. It seems to ive been a Tatler. The commander the vessel fixed the position at 0 miles east of Japan. That is mighty long way for a small bird ce that to fly over water.

Perhaps they can land on the ater and take off again, and so it a rest. But in the absence of ;bbed feet and such assets of the rimming birds, it is difficult to see )w they could do that.

Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Derrick have turned to Suva after six months’ ►liday in Australia and New Zea nd. He now takes up his appoint ent as Director of Fiji Museum.