The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-08-11
PRODUCES fair apbts and strawberries aud pass

|
able peaches.
The Colony ships its fruits from Tasmania
| and South Australia
The body of thellong peninsula of North Is
land is overgrowR iwit+ kauri forests; 255,OO0
acres arc covered with these noble trees. (The
kaurl does not grow fifnother parts OF the earth,
but, like the redwood Of California, is confined
to one section Of the world.)
| Many large sawmi1is are operated in the
kauri groves. and che lumber is shipped to all
the ports Of AustFalssia.
The Wirorl Ryer courses through the for.
est. The stream IS faa&igable for so miles. and
| its banks are dotted with lumber camps.
| The largest rTef son the island is Waikato
| (native high waterj. 1t is a beautiful stream
| with broad and majestic channel. and many
! graceful bends. otaE
1t heads in Lake Tempo, at the base OF Ton
| garriro Volcano, and flows with winding curves
through the great woodlands out into the ocean.
| on the western coast. Tho banks of the river
| are inclosed with wooded hills and tall bluffs
often face the channel
The scenery along the river is varied and
sometimes mountainous. But on the head
waters fertile valley, broad and wide,
stretches along either bank and 3 picture OF
| farms. country houses fields of grain, and
| grazing herds and focks is seen. Three
feurshing villages also exist on the river.
The channel is deep and strong, aud navigable
for $50 miles.
The island is we'll watered and q number Of
smaller rivers are found fa
In the Summer season the streams have
greenish hue.
had previously seen the carmine waters of
Red River, in Louisiana, the chalky current Of
White River, in Arkansas, and the blue lime
stone channel OF the Guadalupe River. in
Texas; but the green color of the Zealandian
rivers is novel tint in water.
Along the river shores are seen the famous
green stone of New Zealand.
This stone Is made by the Maoris into orna-
ments, and is shipped abroad by jewelers..
The Colony should be called the Emerald
| Islands. r.
The waters of the streams, and the stone, are
not only green in color, but the forests are ever.
| green.
| The trees never shed their leaves. Their
foliage covers the islands in masses of greenery
all the year. The grass also grows through
| the Winter, and tho hills and valleys are al
| ways coated with turf.
Some Of the birds of New Zealand are also
green, and their feathers can hardly be dis
! cerned from the foliage Of the trees
| The birds are peculiar birds-they never sing.
| The woods Of New Zealand never echo with
| the melody that makes glad the forests of
| America.
The Tui is ahont the only native songbird 1
| have heard in New Zealand. And it does obey
| joyful noise" among the quaker bipeds on
| the Islands. ~
| The only objection charged against the Tui
| is that it is scarce.
| New Zcaland has not q great assortment of
birds. 1t cannot compare with the Southern
| American States. or :he timber lands in North
ern Mexico in feathered occupants.
| But Zealandia was, in the early ages. the
| home of the largest birds that ever walked the
| earth.
| The islands were once the abiding place of
| the king of birds. The colossal Moa, bird 15
feet in hight, years ago, walked these antipodal
| woods.
| The Moa was built like an ostrich; its legs
were long. and its neck was like that of a gi-
| raffe. II could observe and admire scenery as
| we'll as perceive the advance Of its enemies.
| 1t was cumbersome. showever, and ungainly.
Its great size and weight fell victim to tn
ruthless weapons Of the natives.
| II has been extermipated. Only skeletons Of
| the great bird in the New Zealand Museums
preserve the name of the mammoth Mos.
| Among feathered life on the islands is q
bird that is unique; it is curiosity. and is the
only species Of its kind on the earth 1t Is still
| alive and with US; its name is the Kiwi, and
it is a wingless bird . it is also without tail
feathers. 1t has long bill to catch insects, and
is round at the cnd of its body like gourd.
| 1t lays claim to once having had wings, but
finding the exercise Of legs and wings both to
be too much tax n'its energies, it allowed the
wings to go out Of use For want of exercise
| the wings became obsolete and disappeared.
/ Naturalists who have dissected the bird say
thai muscles of obsolete wings still exist on the
| sides OF its body.
Iexpect that the Ki-wi once had tail feathers,
and lost them by their being pulled out
| But l have not inquired; and naturalists
have not yet sent IN any report.