ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 3939, 9 October 1875, Page 2

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

The tenth annuel meeting of the Otago Acclimatisation Society took place in the offices of the ‘ Otago Daily Times’ and * Witness’ Conipany, yes’er,lay a:ternoon ; present—Mesrs "• D. Munson (n the chair), H, Tewsley, Allan Holmes, G. L. Sise, O. K. Turton, A. 0. Beg?, and F. Deans. . The Sscmtabt (Mr Begg). read the following AWHIUL HE PORI. In presenting to t e subscribers the tenth annual report of the Society’s proceedings, the t.ouucil has great pleasure in being able to congratulate the Society on the success which has continued to attend its operations. The 'society’s efforts for the last year hare boon mam y directed to the distribution throughout the ,Pi V I°f insectivorous birds, and to the stocking with trout of the various suitable rivers and lakes, more especially the latter object, as the Council look on this as one of the most desirable objects to bo aimed at. Other matters have not, however, been neglected, such as the introduction and distribution of*Californian and other forest and ornamental trees, and the distribution , f hares to various parts of the Province. The Council has had regu av communications from rations parts of the I rovmcc as to the success of its operations. The following is a summary of the results, so far as they are known:—

Pheasants.—Those birds are now very numerous all along the coast lino, from the Waitaki to the alataura, and it w:is deemed advisable that a short open season should be declared last winter tor the shooting of cock birds, the license fee being fixed at 50s for the season from Ist June to 31st July. Tiere ult was that thirti -t wo licenses wort taken out. The sh oting was moderately successful, but the biids were found to be rather wild, and the probable results of the season’s jshootiug will be to disperse the birds over a large area of the Province. So numerous have pheasants become 'bat they have been repeatedly seen during this season in the suburbs of Dunedin, and even within the City itsol . «ix lieu and fur cock pheasants wore lately obtained from Auckland, and sent to Queenstown for liberation in that district j and as they reached their destination in safety, there is now every probability of their spreading rapidly through the L ike district. Partridges.—Tlie.se birds are also thriving and increasing very rapidly. They are constantly seen all along tac coast from Oarnaru in the North to the Cluiha district in the South, and largo covets have been seen as far inland as Lawrence and Popotuuoa. It may now be confidently anticipated that in a few years they will extend to every suitable district in the Provi co. Californian quail are also increasing in the districts where they bavobeenturued out. The Society has la; ely turned out iu the Peninsula district a dozen bra; e of these birds, presented by Mr S. Dalgleish. The Californian quail succeed very wel anywhere iu the neighborly d of bush, but do not seem to spread to country where bush is at a considerable distance. They will therefore not bo so valuable as the pheasants and partridge-*, which thrive and multiply in any parto New Zealand. Hares are veiy plentiful in the Waihola and Palmo ston districts, more especially the latter. The Provincial Government agreed to sanction the taking of hares for a short season last winter, over the Bushy Park Estate, Shag Valley, belonging to Mr F. D. Ricu. Mr Rich, however, has taken advantage of this privilege only to the extent of allowing coursi .g The hares on the property are very plentiful, and no doubt a large area will bo opened in the district next year over which bares mav be taken. During last season the Society's manager procured five young hares in the Palmeia on district, and those were turned out at Waipahi, whore, no doubt, they will increase rapidly, as the country is very suitable for them.

Insectivorous birds.—Of the various birds introduced here, the most successful have been the starlings, chaffinches, hedge sparrows, green linnets, yellow-hammers, larks, blackbirds, and thushns! Starlings have increased with amazing and are now seen a 1 along the east coast of the Province for a distance of at least thirty miles inland. They are scon iu immense flocks in the Taieri plains, and as they live entirely on grubs and insects, their presence must he most beneficial to the farmers. Hedge sparrows, green linnets, and yellow-hammers may be seen in numbers nil round Dunedin, and the blackbird and thrush may be beard in any part of the bush between Dunedin and Bluoskiu. The Society got a number of grew linnets, caught during Inst season, and fifty of these were liberated at Otekaike, iu the Waitaki district, and fifty in the wlutha district. Ffty skylarks were also liberated iu Ihe Palmerston and Kakauui districts, and the song of the lark is now quite common in many parts of the Province. It is proposed to continue catching these and other birds as opportunity offers, and thus help them to spread i ver the country.

Salmon —lt is much to bo regretted that the shipment of salmon ova brought out by the Provincial Government in the Timaru was a total failure It is, however, intended to make another attempt in this direction, and it is to be hoped that, instead of one large shipment being made, a number of comparatively small shipments of (say) 4,000 to 5,000 ova each, may be made in four or five consecutive vessels. The chances of success would thus be much increased.

1-ake tharr.—The small quantity of the eggs of this fish presented to the Government by Mr Parnaby, of Keswick, and sent out i: the Timarn, was handed over by the Government to this Society on its anival, and it is satisfactory to be able to report that, notwithstanding the lengthened voyage, about fourteen young charr have been reared, and are now abaut two inches in length, and nnpear likely to thrive. It >s to be hoped that the Society may be able, from this small beginning, eventually to slock our large lakes with this va.uablc fish. Sea Trout.—Although none of the sea trout turned out by Mr W. A. Young, of Palmerston, have yet been observed in any of our streams, they have been frequently seen and caught in Utago Harbor. One fine fish, of 71b weight, was caught in a fisherman’s net, near Otago Heads, and several smaller fish have been caught in the same way. It is quite evident that although these fish have not been seen in our rivers, they must have spawned and bred during several years past, as they have been seen of all sizes, from 11b to 71b, and there can be no doubt that eventually they will spread all along the const, and ascend all our rivers. It is proposed that next season the Society should endeavor to pr. cure further supply of ova, either from Tasmania or elsewhere, so that a further stock may bo liberated in one or more of our suitable rivers.

Brown Trout.—Undoubtedly the greatest succees which the Society has achieved is the iutioduction and distribution of the brown, or common river trout. At the last annual meeting of the Society, it was resolved that there should be « short opeu season for trout fishing, from Ist December to Ist March, iu the streams iu which trout were liberated iu 180S and 1869, the license fee being LI. 'ihciv wen. thiity-aeveu licenses issued, and the results oi the fishing were very satisfactory. In the Water of Leith, which, from its proximity to town, was very much fished, large numbers of trout were caught, mostly with the fly. The average size of the fish caught nas from -Jib to fib, but a number of fish were caught varying from I J s lb to 31.1 T. Many large baskets were made, varying from bib to 131b, for a few hours' fishing. There was very liitle fishing iu the other rivers which were opened, but in tile Shag Biver a number of very large, fish were caught, v.iryiug from 41b to 111b, partly with the lly, and partly with the minnow. Iu this river the presence of immense quantities ef white-bait, which allord flue feeding for the trout, makes them very shy and difficult to catch, although they are seen iu the pools of the river in large numbers and of great size. The edible qualities of the trout proved to be very good, the large fish especially cutting us red and firm as salmon, and they wove generally considered fully equal to the best quality of trout iu Great Britain. A largo number of young trout were, last season, turned out by the Society in various streams throughout the Province. Among these st. earns may be mentioned Lovel’s Creek, Eraser’s Creek, Puerua, Kathiku, Waiwera, Kuriwao, Wairuua, Waipahi, Pomahaka, Abbott's Creek, Waitati, Waikouniti, Awamoko, and Otokaiko. Mr Deans, the Society’s manager, has this season succeeded in procuring for spawning purposes a large number of lino fish ranging from 3 to <lbs iu weight, and from these he has procured about 4,000 eggs, which it is proposed to hatch out and distribute through all the a.cessible streams iu the I'rovluce. It is proposed to send u supply of eggs to Queenstown, win re arrangements have been mam for hatching them out and placing them in the streams in that district. A simply of ova has been rent to the Upper Waitaki district, where Mr Middleton, of Becunore Station, has undertaken to sse to their hatching and distribution. Now that the Southern Hallway s opened to the Clutha, the Society will be enabled at small expense to further stock all the Hue rivers iu the Clutha and Pomohaka districts, and a few days ago the Society forwarded by [rail {lor liberatipn iu tao Tuakitolo Late about forty large fish about ilb to Mbs iu weight, and these fish were successfully liberated there. It is expected that in these livers aud lakes there will he flue trout-fishing in the course of two or three l yearn, Tho Council

has recommended that the open mmou should he oontiderably lengthened this year in the streams which wore opened last season, and also that the Lees and Deep Streams be included in the list of livers open for fishing. The season recommended n from September 15 to March 15, which nearly corresponds with the open season in England. For the Water of Leitlif however, it is recommended that the season should only extend from October 1 to December 31, in order to prevent that stream being extensively fished. It is found that a moderate amount of rod-fish-mg du ing the proper season is not prejudicial to the supply of fish. As an instance of this, the \va er of Leith, which was very much fished last season, still contains a very good supply of trout, and it has been found that very much larger Iron! exist in this stream than any which have been tai-en with the rod, some of those obtained for spawning purposes being as large as 71bs. The. Society would u r a w the attention of the public to the desirability of destroying shags wherever they are seen. These voracious birds have been found to be the greatest enemies of the trout, and it is desirable that-all our settlers should do what they can to kill as many as possible. By doing this they will much facilitate the rapid stocking of ourßrivers with trout. In conclusion, the Council desires to thank the public and the Government for the support accorded to the Society, and hopes that this may be sti 1 further "'ncreased, in order that the objects of the S»cioty may bo more speedily accomplished. The balance-sheet contained the following items, to 31st August, 1875;—T0 balance forward, March 31st, 1874, L 879 9s 4d; dome ons and subscriptions, L 204 8s; Government subsidy, LlOO; licenses (perch), L2 ss; sale of cages, L 3 6s; total, L 689 8s 43. By wages (Deans), L 131; wages (Foord), L 37 8s fid; Young, testimonial, L 10; purchase of stock, L 29 11s Cd; fish and ova, with expenses thereon, and all other charges, L 462 4s Id; advertising and general expenses, Ll6 12s; balance down. L41112s 3d : total, L 689 8b 4d.

f The Chairman, after referring to the financial position of the Society, congratulated members upon the support which had been accorded to it during the past year. He then proceeded to notice, at some length, the position ot tin salmon question as far as the Colonies are con cerned. Out of six shipments of salmon eges vhich had been sent to the Colonies during thr : ast eleven years, only two bad been fairly sue cessful, and those two were brought to Tub mania by the Norfolk in 1864 and by the Linecilndiiro in 1860. In the case of the thre< iSew Zealand, these had all been failures. After relating the numerous difficulies attending the introduction ot the salmoi from Great Britain, lie expressed his opinion tbiit the time had arrived when the Society mgh make an attempt to introduce the fisl mom Tasmania. He _node d the evident bearing.upon the question of naturalisation o. T.he fish there, and gave it as his opinion that t-ht salmon had been successfully acclimatised. At all events, he added, if the attempt has nol been successful in Tasmania, wh-re some 10,< Ob salmon smolts have been liberated from the Plenty Pond, there is little hope of onr sue ceeding. Assuming that the salmon had b, eisure ssfully established in Tasmania, he coir sellcd the .society to despatch tin ir manage vlr Deans, to that Colony next winter for tin purpose of examining the likeliest parts of tin Derwent where spawning beds should ho. Tin trip would not be a costly one, and he felt sac guiue as to the result, be opposed the intro ducion of the Californian salmon, ho hj because there was no rea-am to suppose that tli eggs could he safely transported, and hecuus 10 is iufori ir in quality to the British fish. H, alvi.ed the Society to exercise patience ii slocking the country with game, insecri.-orou birds, ands fish. None hut animals of the ve. \ best kindshe urged should be in roduced Hi declared himself an enem. of 'he house sparrow until he was satisfied that a substitute could not be lound who would do the same amount of good, but whose habi s are not of so mis chievous a character. He advised the Society not to be in too great a hurry in stocking onsplendid lakes with fish. In time we would b able to supply ours-lves with the best sorts from c.urope and America, and he trusted that in attempt would be made in the meantime to in f rodu;e i n inferior description i.f fish into then lakes. After calling attention to the many ac knowledged benefits which acclimatisation societies were conferring upon colonial/commu- ■ ities, he said that if in addition to these bene “its they succeeded in offering such attractions m the shape of field spoits to our men of leisure as would induce them to leuu-in in theii Colonial home, they would have one more subupon which to he congratulated. /' he St. Leonard's rangers wrote that in that district they had observed pheasants, starlings, goldfinches, linnets, blackbirds, and thrushes.’ Daring the past season a great deal of shooting hud been carried an ; consequently, birds of all kinds have been greatly reduced. ‘ Some means ought to be taken before next season to prevent amateur sportsmen from committing the wholesale slaughter of all the feathered tribe ; and they wged th 6 Society to use every endeavor to procure a tax to be levied on all gnus earried, &c,, as in Great Britain, as no do.iht during the past season many pheasant shooters had no license.—Mr Begg moved and Mr d URTON seconded, “ That this Society recommend that a tax of not less than LI for the privilege of carrying a fowling piece be enforced ; and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Colonial Government, with a request that legislative effect be given to it ” Carried. Tlio fallowing gentlemen were elected officebearers for the ensuing year :~Chairman, Mr W. D. Murison ; Vice-chairman, Mr’ A. Holmes; Hon. Secretary, Mr A. C, Begg • Hon. Treasurer, Mr H. Tewsley, Town Committee—Messrs H. Howorth, J. T. Thomson J. P. Maitland, Dr Burns, W. J. M. Larnach’, G. K. Turton, W. Mason, W. Hepburn, F. C. Fulton. W. A rthur, and G. L. Sise, Country Committee-Rev. W. Will, East Taieri: Messrs J Fulton, West Taieri; A. And. r-on, Inch Clutha; J. W, Murdoch. Waikouaiti; F. D Rich, Rushy Paik; J. F. Hitching, Moa Flat ; J. Douglas, Mount Royal: F. Roberts, p o po' tunoa; ,T. Shaw, Finegand; W. Shennan, AJamototo ; W. A. Young, Palmerston; P. F. Stoddart, Kaitangata; E. Campbell, Kaihiku; A. Jones, Tokomairiro; J. S. Worthington,’ Queenstown.

On the question of the importation of salmon ova, Mr Holmes referred to tho rapid passages recently made by steamers from Home, and suggested that an experiment of bringing ova out in one of the New Zealard Shipping ' ompauy’s new boats should be tried.—The Chairman out that the Society was not in a position to bear the necessary expense. Mr Begq said that Mr Bucklan I had pro mised to send out a s lipment of salmon ova in September to Melbourne. —Mr Holmes sii'gested that Messrs M'Meckan and Blackwood should he allowed to t ring the ova to Oia -o first. The Chairman saidthe advice of the ociety had never been requested by the Government in regard to the steps taken to import salmon ova. If it were asked, he had no doubt the advice suggested oy Mr Holmes would be given.