THE ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2200, 15 March 1881, Page 3

THE ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

To the Editor of the Globe. Sib,—A report of the proceedings of that really pious and dreadfully sedate body, the Counoil of the Acclimatisation Society, would naturally be expected to be the last place wherein your readers would find a joke, but at ibeir last meeting the following is reported to have been uttered :—" The Society had been instrumental in making some very useful introductions into the colony." Now, Sir, I have been in the colony several years, and have taken a good deal ot interest in the doings of the Acclimatisation Society, but I confess that I do not know of any " useful " introductions by thia Society whioh have resulted in public benefit. First of all, they did not introduoe the pheasant, as this bird was common on the Peninsula before tho Society was even thought of. Trout were introduced by Mr A. M. Johnson, and not by tLe Society. Perhaps the latter statement requires a little explanation. By those who know more of the doings of tho Society than tho members of the present Council, it will be remembered that there was a great deal of talk years ago about introducing trout, the result of the affair being talk only. In the meantime the Hobart Town Society, working with very little talk, successfully introduced the ova thero. After a lapse of time, Mr Johnson, then curator, kept pegging at the C■ >uncil|f.o introduoe trout from Tasmania, but he would not be listened to, and, after a long delay, at a speeial meeting called, he consented to tako the whole risk himself if they would give him a bonus on any trout he might land. Very unwillingly this was eventually oonsented to. Mr Johnson returned with, I think, three trout, for which h«i got a small bonus, and, forsooth, because tho Council did not stop the man's salary whilo he was absent at considerable outlay and expense to himself, they now take credit to themselves for having iitroducod tho trout, although all wo have in Canterbury are the product of the throe fish landed by Mr Johnson. Tho Society certainly introduced sparrows from Lyttolton, whioh have proved so great a comfort to the farmers ; siskins, yellowhammers, and linnets, that garnish the little the spurrowß leave ; larks, bo fond of sprouting corn ; blackbirds and minahs, whioh bo lovo our stone fruit; and lua;, but by no meuna least, that " useful introduction," the Ligurian hoe. You have heard, sir, how this last introduction lately robbed several hives in the vicinity of the Gaidens, killing also hundreds of true honey-gatherers. On Tuesday last, a swarm of these marauders visited a poor man's little garden at St. Albans, and repeated this conduct, completely destroying two hives of bees which ho could ill afford to lose. Nice useful introductions! Perhaps some member of tho Council will toll us of any further introductions by that body, which have proved " useful " to tho publio ? Yours, <fca, OBSERVER.