Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 30 January 1932, Page 3

i mi V/{ [ , ‘ j • i* ,0C Hie opiiucm that the opossum is.not) a serious,menace to' either the Horn or fauna is expressed, by .Pi#*lessor Hi B. . Kirk, . .Professor, of fjipjJ; l°gy, of, Victoria College, Wellington.,.; and the'reasons for his, views are, qon~' tained in the annual report of the New. Zealand Institute of .Horticulture. . In conj unction with other, bodies interested representations, .were, made to the Government suggesting that inquiries be- instituted as .<to tlfe pffeet of the presence of ,opo.sisum& „qn ; ' our native flora and. fauna, report states. Thp paunches, of ,266 .opossums from Kapiti Island.and other Jpcaliti 03. were examined by. Professor, gi. only rare occasions were traces 'of animal matter, found- lhofessorj-. ,Kirk stated, inter alia. “As ig,.,w<?jl>known, the opossum pats almost anything .in the way of fresh vegetable,, matter, but not always the,, same things. ..it . is important to note that the fruity ind seeds, of .the.,, forest are. .freshly eaten, especially those ttJiat . hgve, ffpsjiy v parts, as. nikau,- passion flower* poro-. kaiwhiri, karaka, and-so. on, ~ ~ The opossum thus competes-,.with birds . br.it .1 have., never .been; in, - a . forest in which, at the proper, season, the floor was not littered. with, seed..and fruit, hot .consumed by , ■ bird . o;; .. From- this . evidence, .ftthat thg, menace to eitljer .-tlip,.ruitive. flora,..pr. fauna. .. ... : ; ... h-o