1932-12-07 — Page 7

BIRDS AND BEASTS OF

HONG KONG

TRUTH ABOUT THE TIGERS ON

TAI MO SHAN

DR. G. A. C. HERKLOTS TALKS TO ROTARIANS OF AN UNSEEN WORLD

Dr. G. A. G. Herklots gave an excellent survey of the ** Birds and Boasts of the Colony," at yesterday's meeting of the Rotary Club. pre. The speech opened with an amusing quotation comparing the rent status of the biologist-in Europe at loset-as the man of knowledge and power to whom men w.ro looking for guidance, and the old fashioned view of him as a queer sort of fellow, with snakes and newts in his pockets. Dr. Horklots observed, amid laughter. that as Hong Kong was a generation behind the times he must not disappoint his audience, and produced from his pocket a new and a snake! Both were in small corked-botiles, and the latter, a tiny black fellow was sound asleep. In reply to a question of Mr. J. D. Buck, Dr. Herklots gave us the re-assuring statement that ** snakes are very gentle and the last thing they want to do is to bite and waste their poison,"

THE WAY THEY HAVE IN

CANTON

The Hon. Dr. Tro, President, whe was in the chair, welcomed back Rotarian B. Wylie and culled on Mr. Carnegie of Canton for a few : words,

the nests and eggs of our local birds; and of the support that the Press has given, due in no ama part to the enthusiasm of Mr. V. 11. C. Jarrett.

Birds.

HỎNG KONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1932.

ou the is

ON BOARD THE ARAMIS

COMFORT AND GOOD TASTE

Kong, and the New Territoris Civet eat are com have passed through my hands and especially so on Mount Ni- during the last few years, and techolson, two have been sent me re presentatives of these have been contly. Pangolin are by no means! named by Dr. Malcolm Smith at rare; these are the scaly anteaters the British Museum. Twenty-four so often mis-named Armadilloi species, at least, occur in the Tar. They also are octurnal and ar ritories and of these 10 species are rarely seen. Porcupines no resi poisonous, the bites of six of these dont both on the island and in the may be fatal. These six include Territories but they are shy crea- two sen-snakes, two kraits, the co-türes and except at night rarely

A. very delightful little luncheo bra and the bamboo snake. The leave their burrows. A friend told aaaakes will never bite man un me that he saw three together one party was given by Air. Ohl, local manager of the Cia dos Mes. The only Tess highly provoked; Kraits will evching near Tai Po.. only bite during the night, so that other wild mammal that I know sagorica Maritimes, on board the leaves only the cobra and the bam- of is a little shrew with a long. Aramis yesterday. boo nako which need be treated very bristly nose but this is by no with caution. I usually have at

means common. The abundance of least half a dozen species of saka snakes serves to keep, the numbers alive at the University, and I have of small. mammals within all 24 local species preserved in narrow limits. alcohol in botiles, so if anyone is interested and would like to see thom I should be happy to demen strate their peculiarities.

Some of snakes are strictly nee Enron and usually sleep all day, The one which, I have in this tuba is one which is perfectly harmless and lives on wonne and insects. It grows to the length of one foot and alreps all day under racks or leaves and hunts for its food at

night.

Of the local lizards, tortoises. and turtles our knowledge is very incomplete. Some hundreds <1 liazrds have been sent to London for identification, but I cannot yet give a full report on them, Sev- aral very different groups of li zards are represented here incluJ. ing geckna, skinks, lizards like our English species, and the created Culates which so many people mis take for a Chameleon.

Amphibians,

|

|

The gusate pro invited to go over the ship and every one was full of praise for the beauty and very quiet dignity of the decorations.

A great deal of work is being carried out on the inhabitants of the seas around Hong Kong, by scientists throughout the world but the work is by no means complete and few people here will be inter ested in detailed accounts of fishes, and crabs, and the like. Last year over a thousand flabes were sent to Philadelphin belonging to some- thing like 200 species. Over 100 different kinds of crabs were ide tified this summer alone, from Hong Kong. The starfishes, BER cucumbers, sea urchins and their relatives are being described by n leading expert in Copenhagen and the shells by an expert in Poking

Smaller Ureatures.

British people have an idea that their French neighbours do not understand comfort and that French lusto is apt to be flamboyant.' Tho Aramis completely refutes those opinions. It is the restful quality of the decorations which strikes one first; wood panelling in natural colour, not over varnished; simple shapes and simple good decoration; easy chairs and couches which offer

rest without physical suffocation; Mural paintings which aro what they should be-background; wall decoration-not nu intrusion,

A comparison with the Empress of Britain ut once presents itaalf The English vossef is magnificent and startling. One gasps with ad. miration. The Aramis is comfort- able and restful,

First way I speak about the local birds. We have now identi- fed, something like 140 species of Mr. Gurnegie first of all extend-birils which are resident in or visit ed a cordial imitation to Bang & those territories, on migration in Kont Rotarians to the dimer and spring or autumn. At least a third daner, with an interesting musical of these nest in the Colony nail progrunge aur woli, which the Can-

within the last 1 years, nests and Jon Club is holding on Becember ggs of some 40 species have been 15. He noticed several differences found and identified. Many falla between Canton and Hong Konecies have been dispersed, c.g. peo- Rotary Clubs, One was that in Hong Kong few members acemi ple used to say quite authorita. ing toads may all be found local-graduate of Soochow University, in Hong Kong after the first sum-

to war their bidges. In Canton failure to do so meant a, fino of 2) centr Alicure without poles cost $2, nad with apology to the (Hear, hear, and. secretary $1. laughter.)

Ghosts introduced were as follow: Dr. Janes Dunlop (Glasgow), General Wong cung, Chief of Staff of the 10th Army, Messrs. I Green, V. H. Jarrett, Janes Carnegie (Canton), H. 3. Mok (Canton). John Keswick (Hong Kong).

DR. HERKLOTS' ADDRESS

品

Some thousands of beetles have been sent to an American scientist fessor in Southampton is kept busy years and as she many lay one egg stationed in Honolulu and a pro- may live for as long as 'serveral with some hundreds of spidors that every three minutes even in a year have been sent him recently. I her family may be of the order of mention theke lesser creatures to 175,000. The newly hatched termites Our survey of the frogs, toady, show that we are attempting * are all alike but it is soon possible three forms, and new of the Colony is still complete faunistic survey of the to distinguish the very incomplete. The frogs form Colony and are not confining our worker, soldier and sexual forms; attentions to the larger, and to the latter develop wing sheaths facinating group and there is ad

develop immense range of variety amongst most people more interesting, birds which later, may them. Tree frogs of at least two and snakes. My recently, appoint wings. species, pigmy frogs, and burrowed Chinese assistant, Mr. Ng, a

* investigating the parasites tively, that the ever present. Kitay. There is only one newt, dil not nest in the Colony, now

which infect the animals of the we know that it nests here regularly

snake or frog, that dies within a Colony and every cat and dog, every spring. Some people have

convenient distance of the Uni been heard to say that there are

versity is collected and explored no birds in Hong Kong; in one afternoon in March of this year a

for parasites. Round worms, fat worins, and tape worms are abun- party of 3 of ur identified 34 spe

dant here, and from one cat it is irs, a number which is would be extremely difficult to equal in Eng

possible to obtain scores of parasi land in a week, except in very

tes. The frogs which are sold for special localities. As a result of

food in the local markets and al- afforestation and protection of

most all infected with a parasite wild life, birds are steadily in

the larval stage of a tape worm, creasing in numbers in the Colony;

th's may offer a clue as to old residents tell me that they have

source from which man in south noticed this and I in my short næ-

China picks up some of his perience have come to the same

tendant parasites. opinion,

A. naval officer, Lieut. Comdr.

pretty little creature dark brown low, it is called Triturus sinensis above and orange and brown be and occurs both on the island and in the New Territories.

Mammals.

V

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PX 1-A PERFECT DAY

PX -LAND OF HOPE AND GLOBY,

At certain seasons. of the year,

mor rains, (April 19 1931) winged termites emerge in hundreds or subterranean thousands from the exits of the nests. Theae GTO sexually adult individuals, both malas and females. By far the greater number of these perish, eaten by birds or washed away by Unfortunately the mammals of

the summer raina. If a couple the Colony are almost all noctur

succeed in reaching the ground nal. Tigers visit the Colony, al

safely they break off their wings most every year, they come down

and begin to excavato small from the wild country at the back

nest. The first hatched workers on- of Bias Ray; two were ou Tai-mo-

large the nest and look after the the king and queen, When the shan for several days during the spring of this year. Leopards ni

offspring are sufficiently numerous at to look after their parents the body so occasionally visit the Territo ries; one was trapped and shot en

of the queen enlarges enormously the 20th of December of last year

It is not easyin know where to so that she is quite unable to move. near the Bride's Pool in the Sha-stop in giving this survey of the The young are fed on a fungus Dr. G. A. C. Herklots said: In this Colony where the maj. AM. Hughes, R.N. has pointed tankok district, Wolves are ap Colony's fauna. Some may think which is grown for them by the rity of its citizens are concerned 32 of our birds and I shall pass naredbly resident here and have have already spoken enough workers in special underground with business and with shipping, round prints from four of his beau- been seen frequently in the Shounk others might like to hear about our gardens. If the queen is destroyed Liful paintings illustrate 4 very Shni district and ocasionally on cockroachos and centipedes or about one of the undeveloped immature where there is no public library different groups of local birds the Fanling golf course. W the beautiful maths and butterflies, females is fed especially carefully, consequence, ao aquarium, and One is of the Black-eared Kite, the boar are abundant on Moon-shan which abound here, and which and may take the queen's place. museum worthy of the name, it is

scavenger of the harbours. At and, in the hills to the past and

never fail to excite the interest of Most species of termites live on not perhaps surprising that know-

least 10 different species of birds are more feared than any other the new arrival to the Colony dead wood only, though they cer- ledge of life and of living things of proy visit, or are resident in animal by the Chinese villagers Incidentally, both the large hairy tainly will eat living seedlings and is extremely limited. Mon, in past the Colony: these, include engles, who don't seem able to cope with house spider and the poisonous cen are rapecially fond of French beans years, have made as their hobby the pursuit of one or other partireya, peregrine falcons, har them. One killed and largely ate tipede live largely on cockroaches; and cabbages. They cat the back sular branch of nature study but riers, buzzards and the commoner dog not so very long ago, and so the former at any rate should af Camphor and Eucalyptus trees most have taken the results (1 kestrels and sparrow-hawks, which shat a year ago one hit though he encouraged even if the presence hat. I have yet to see evidence that a man's leg and so badly was it of the centipede is not altogether they will eat the living bealthy their labours away with them, fowlatter seem to be so fond of cana-

wood uf either of these trees. Water: have left anything of value to their rien. Two magpies are resident crushed that it had to be amputat- welcome.

ed.

is essential for the existence successors. Outstanding exceptions are, one is black and white, nimi- there have been, as for example lar to the English magpie, the

white ants and often they are at very handsome bird. Mr. J. C. Kershaw who wrote and other is a

tracted to seed beds because of the fact that the seedlings are well illustrated "The Butterflies of black and blue and white, with

very long tail. During the sum

watered The enemies of termites Hong Kong," and Mr. A. H. Crok

mer months five species of king-do so on the island. Others also

are numerous and include anta, the versatile and gonia! Irishman

fishers nest in the Colony, two of

birds, lizards, toads and the scalv Inte beadmaster of Queen's College, these are black and white, the other but they are still here both on the at all, they are much more pri especially foud of them. The best are not seen as much as formerly

White ants are not really ants antentor or Pangolin which s who wrote for the Yellow Dr three are vividly clad in blues and eland and in the Territoris. Sir gon articles. on Natural History and who was always ready to an end reds. Various species Cecil Clementi told me that when miti in their structura; termite method of dealing with termites in SECOND READING OF FOUR swer any query, that might ho put of duck visit the mangrove' swamps he was out here as a cadet he frea much better name. A colony seedling bed or vegetable garden to him. But it is rather of the and paddy fields at Deep Bay and quently saw them whilst on his is composed of a queen, a king and is by burying little piles of poison- labours of others that I wish to where, of these, perlaps, the walks. A friend told me off one a large number of speak. Of the work on the birds Falcated Teal is the most attrae that he saw at Castle Pekin soldiers. There are different sizes parts of the bed badly infeated by

of workers, large ones which build them. I part of Paris green. (5 At the Legislative Council meet. August of this year; it was KO .. Reptiles,

the earth tunnels so familiar to a compler compound

copper ing to-morrow (Thursday) after wary that, it swam out to men as, in Hong Kong, and all ones acetate and copper araonita), to 100 noon, the following Bills will be of Women and Girls Ordinance, I have talked sò much and writ-soon as it perceived his presence

Deer are aluntiant both on the whose business it is to look after parts of sawdust forms a suitable brought up for second reading:- R.N. and by other army and naval ten so much about the snakes of

the nest, subterranean in local bait. words only, on this intaresting they are officers. Of the keences and intor- the Colony that perhaps a few island and in the Territories but species, and to feed the young ones. The speaker was cordially thank. A Bill to consolidate and amend A Bill to amend and consolidate

rarely seen. A police

of magistrates and the precedure Offences. dent of the Botanic Gardens, has group of reptiles will be sufficient officer is reported to have shot 13 The queen's job is to lay eggs, she nd for his address by Mr. J. D. the law relating to the jurisdiction the law

(Continued on next Column.) Bush, shown, especially in the study of Several hundred snakes from Hong one morning on Lan t'ap island.

of the Colony admirably started, by Major Hutson R.E. and carried on by Commander E. A. Aylmer

eet that Mr. Green, Superinter

tive.

;

S

Foxes and Deer.

Perhaps, in conclusion, A few remarks on that constant source of Toxes are less common than they worry, the white nat, or termite, used to be but they still breed in might be appropriate. the New Territories and may still

White Ants,

of

workers and ed sawdust near their runs or in

of

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A Bill to amend the Protection

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