FOREIGN BIRDS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18904, 20 January 1927, Page 8

FOREIGN BIRDS.

IMPORTATION TO N.Z.

GROUSE, PARTRIDGE, AND QUAIL

At last night's meeting ef the North | Canterbury Acclimatisation Society » cabl« was received stating that the eoft" signment of ten brace of aharp,tailed grouse ordered by the society from Canada would arrive in Auckland hy the Niagara on January 91st, The chairman, Mr Edgar F. fltead, said that arrangements would be mad© for the birds to bo brought to Christ* churoh, They should arrive at the Gardens on about February 4th. He considered tbaf it was advisable, if the birds were in good condition, that they should bo releasee! as soon as possible. The grouse cajroe from Alberto »u<i were used to lowland country with the temperature at go and 40 degrees below zero in the winter, and hot, dry wea* ther in the summer, Macdenald Downs, at Waiparft, was suggested as a suitable place for the release of the birds. If they proved a success the idea was to secure more.

Referring to Qhukpr partridges, Mr Stead said, that lie had arranged with the Qtago Society to, take 10 Waco, of these bu'ds out of & consignment ef about 40 brace ordered by that seeiety if they turned out satisfactorily fle hai received advice, however, that only 11 had reached Wellington, and none could be spared for the North bury Society, The Bureau of Education and Research, California, wrote stating that quail could be obtained in small num* hers from breeders, In a year a supply m?ght he obtained from the ne i r State gape farm, There were no other upland game hj r d„ i n California that would be likely t« thrive jn New Zealand. It was decided to communicate with a breeder as to price, etc