ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 250, 31 March 1875, Page 2

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

The usual monthly meeting of the council of the Acclimatisation Society was held yesterday afternoon, at the Public Library. Present—the Hon J. T. Peacock (in the chair), his Honor the Superintendent, Sir Cracroft Wilson, Dr Campbell, and Messrs Thomas, Wallace, Marshman, Farr(hon sec), and Wood (hon treasurer). The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

The secretary was instructed to inform Mr Mellish, in reply to his communication submitted at the previous meeting, that the garden committee had decided to defer catching any hares for sale to members until the arrival of Mr Bills by the Tintern Abbey, who is said to be an expert in such matters.

It was resolved to recommend that the fol. lowing gentlemen be appointed rangers : Messrs John Dyer, Governor's Bay; and Wm. Begg, Selwyn. A report was read from the garden committee, in the absence of the curator's usual monthly report, who had proceeded to the Bluff for salmon ova expected by the ship Timaru. They asked that the estimated expenditure of £ls might be passed for the month of April. The salmon taken down to New Brighton had again been inspected, and five more salmon from the gardens had been transferred into one of the cages stationed there. The salmon in both cages at New Brighton were thriving, and the cages found to be full of shrimps for food. None of the salmon in either cage were sufficiently advanced to make their removal to the sea absolutely necessary; though their removal to Sumner was deemed advisable, in consequence of the migration of their best food to that quarter. It was intended to effect this removal in the course of a week or ten days.

The following letter received last mail from Mr A. O. Ottywell, the honorary representative of the Society in London, was read:—

" London, 12th January, 1875. " 0. S. Farr, Esq. Dear Sir,

" Your letter of 29th August was duly received. I had already arranged to superintend the shipment of birds for your society, as promised in a previous letter. Mr Coster left England some months ago. I had intended to ship the birds by one of the New Zealand Shipping Company's vessels, but found their ship—the Cicero—would be too long delayed in London; and Messrs Shaw, Saville, and Co, were willing that T should build a house on the deck of the Tintera Abbfcy, a very fine new woodea vessel, ad-

mirably adapted for our purposes. This was done, and the vessel sailed a few days ago. The house, which cost £4B, is larger than that built on the Charlotte Gladstone, and is fitted entirely to my satisfaction. I append a list of the birds shipped—loo partridges, 100 blackbirds, 100 thrushes, 100 starlings, 140 hedge sparrows, 160 yellow hammers, 100 redpolls, 110 goldfinches, 100 linnets, making a total of 1010 birds; also, 500 leeches for Dr Campbell; and will if possible send the usual accounts by next mail via Suez. I have only a few minutes to write this letter prior to the close of the San Francisco mail, at 7.15 p.m. ' 'I am much pleased with the arrangements on board. I hope Bills will do his best to land a large number, and I hope to learn that the venture has again been successful. " The leeches for Dr Campbell are in the house. Please tell Dr Campbell that lam unable to write him this mail in reply to his letter. The humble bees must, I am informed, be sent out in ice. It was impossible to arrange this in the Tintern Abbey. " Kindly send me full advices upon the arrival of the ship. " Yours, &c, "Albert O; Ottywell.

" P.S.—The starlings were paid for by Mr C. Reed, to whom the society's acknowledgments are due."

The secretary was directed to write the harbor master to kindly telegraph immediately on the arrival of the Tintern Abbey. A letter was read from his Honor the Superintendent, suggesting that a portion of the birds by that vessel might be sent to the South Canterbury Society for distribution. At this stage the alarm of the fire bell was heard, and the council adjourned until Thursday next at three o'clock, when the letter from his Honor and other business will be considered.