SMALL BIRDS NUISANCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2080, 15 May 1907, Page 4

SMALL BIRDS NUISANCE.

.Bullotin No. 10 Issued by tlie Dojiartmont of Agriculture contains lists of imported birds and ropiies to a circular asking for information as to the small birds of the colony. It is noted that tlie acclimatisation socitios liavo kept no account of birds introduced, nor record of any cluing- ( es of habits which they may have adopted. It appears that the sparrow came first to Canterbury by accident. Tlie story of Bullotin No. 16 is that the Acclimatisation Society ordered 12 dozen hedge-sparrows from England. The order was placed with Captain Stovens, of tho Matoaka, who submitted it to a bird fancier at ICnightsbridge. Either tho fancier or tho captain blundered, and tho latter took on board 13 dozen 1 yousesparrows, which are commonly known by tho name of “sparrow.”■ Ho Was vory attentive to them on tho voyage oufi, believing that thoy wore the valuable hedge sparrows which the colonists wero anxious to secure. Most of them died, however, and when ho reached Lyttelton in February, 1867, only five wore left. The officors of tho society, realising that a mistake had been made, rofused to accept the strangers. Tho captain then took them out of their cage, and, remarking that the poor little beggars had had a bad time, sot them at liberty. Thoy flow into the rigging, and remained twittering there for soino time. Tho members of the socioty went below to look at other birds. When they reached the deck'again tho sparrows had flown. The birds stayed about Lyttelton for three weeks. Then they disappeared,and when next heard of they wero at Kaiapoi, about twenty miles distant, whore at the end of 1869 thoy were reported as being “particularly numerous.” Tho Otago Society libe-] rated throe sparrows in 1868 and eleven in 1869. Other consignments wero brought out later on, until the colony was well stocked. Sir Walter Buller frankly pleads guilty to having been accessory to the importation of sparrows to Wanganui. He, on' behalf of the Acclimatisation Society there, advertised in London newspapers offering a reward of £IOO for 100 pairs of sparrows delivered alive. Both the advertisements and tho importations were—very {successful. Previous to that, in 1868, the Canterbury Socioty (says tho same publication) introduced numbers of small birds, including linnets, skylarks, and goldfinches. In shipping o'ffices in London the society circulated lists of the sums of money it was willing to give for different species of birds, which it was intended should he brought out by emigrants from England; hut that system was not successful, and it was not until definite arrangements were made with agents and captains of vessels that any satisfactory results were achieved. It was Captain Stovens who brought the first hedge-sparrow to the colony, and, it is 'claimed, to tho Southern Hemisphere. It came in the Matoaka, together ryith the first house-sparrows. It was the only survivor of a consignment. For a long time it was an object of interest in tho society’s grounds in Christchurch, many people journeying to the gardens to see tlie stranger. The presence of tho introduced birds seemed to fall in with the early colonists’ desire to make Canterbury as like England as possible. Their minds were full of tlie place they had left. The Old Country was tlicir Holy Land, and anything that reminded them of it and its associations was given a hearty welcome. The blackbird, tho skylark, and tho song-thrush'were introduced for sentimental reasons.