OPOSSUMS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16426, 21 January 1919, Page 7

OPOSSUMS.

DEPREDATIONS IN ORCHARDS, j Orehardists in the Mount Herbert district have a tiew enemy with which to contend, this year'B output of peaches being considerably reduced by the depredations of opossums. These little thieves come from tho Government reserve on the south side of Mount Herbert, having been driven to the slower levels by tho exceptionally i heavy snows of last winter. Their oisual mode of procedure at present is to climb the branches of the peach trees, and take one or two bites out of each peach within reach. In this manner one young tree in Charteris Bay, laden with fine specimens, was left after a visit one night by opossums with only three sound peaches, the remainder being unfit for use. The presence of the little marauders has been reported in Teddington, Purau, Port Levy, and the surrounding districts. A few have been seen in the vicinity of Allandale and Governor's Bay, and they have even wandered as far afield as the slopes above the residential quarters of Lyttelton. The opossums, with the taste of connoisseurs, show a marked preference for peaches, other fruit being as yet cr-mparatively free from their unwelcome attentions. The grey opossums were originally brought from Australia by Mr W. F. Parkinson, of Kaituna, and liberated in the reserve, and the brown ringtailed species wore secured in Tasmania and liberated on Mount Herbert by the late Mr J. Gardner, of Purau. They are protected, and have largely increased during the past few years. Fruitgrowers on tho Peninsula are much perturbed regarding tho new menace.