THE ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 140, 16 June 1868, Page 2

THE ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

To the Editob of ihe Nelson Evening Mail. Sir — I learn from the public piints tbat the last shipment of British birds by the Gertrude, has proved most unsatisfactory in every respect, but one-third of the birds sh ; pped in London arrived here alive, many have died since their arrival here, and we are told that the birds forwarded to the Society were by no means in accordance with the order sent home by the Secretary, On referring to your report of the meeting of the Acclimatisation Society, held on the 3rd instant, I find that the total cost of this shipment was no less a sum than £104, and however we^ may regret the useless expenditure of this large amount, as ' there's no use crying over spilled milk,' we can only hope that the next time the Society send home an order of the same description, it may be confided to more capable and trustworthy bands. I must confess that I regard this cir* cumstance with all the more regret because it has come to my knowledge within the last few days, that the Society only last year declined a very generous and highly beneficial offer made them by Col. Wroughton, on the ground that they were not then in a position to afford the expenditure of £100, the sum which the Col. requested might be placed at his disposal for the purpose indicated, and which happens to be precisely the sum which has bees uselessly expended on this shipment. The facts, as I am informed, are as follows. Early in last year Col. Wroughton, then on service in India, wrote to the Acclimatisation Society, offering to interest himself in procuring such birds as he judged from their natural habits would be likely to do well and be of use in this colony, and requested that £100 might for that purpose be placed at his disposal in the hands of one of the Calcutta Agents. Nothing doubting, I conclude, that the Society «euki . gladly accept his offer, the polonel had in the meantime made a very extensive collection of birds, and placed them in spacious cages, so as to enable him to watch their habits, in order to insure as far as possible their welfare during their shipment to Nelson. His

surprise and disappointment may easily be imagined when he received a reply from the Secretary, stating that the Society was not in a position to meet the outlay. I am informed that amongst the many varieties of Indian birds which Colonel Wroughton had collected for this object* were a considerable number of the lodtai hill partridge, or Chikor, a bird of good weight, very game, and in every respect suited to this climate, with several of the Minah tribe, which being entirely insectivorous would have been very valuable here, and as they only appear on tho plains of India during the cold season, would have been readily acclimatised here. In fact Colonel Wroughton had them in his possession in captivity for six months, and during that time they throve well. He left India for Nelson in January, and reached this place in the following month, and had the Society sanctioned the enterprise, the birds would have got here before the pairing season, the best time for releasing thera. I may also add that I was informed by Colonel Wroughton that, shortly after he had despatched his letter to the Nelson Society, he had the offer of between 60 and 70 head of deer, not only of original kinds but also hybrids, which he would, of course, either have brought with him, or forwarded to the Society. Such an offer as this will, I am afraid, never again present itself to the Society, and I think you wiil concur with me in regretting that it did not meet with more ready acceptance at the hands of tho Society. Yours, kc, ________ Zoo.