CALIFORNIAN QUAIL.

Patea Mail, Volume 1, Issue 11, 19 May 1875, Page 3

CALIFORNIAN QUAIL.

TO 'l'll K EDITOR OF 'JL'HB J'ATEA MAIL. Sib, —Having noticed in your issue of the Bth instant that a brood of Californian quail had been lately seen in the Maimtahl Gorge, I would like, through the medium of your columns, to draw the attention of settlers to the fact, and to point out to them the very great nuisance these birds are likely to become if allowed to increase tind overrun these districts. In certain localities in the vicinity of Wanganui, they have already proved an unmitigated pest in gardens, as well as on pasture lands, subsisting as they do, for the most part, upon seeds. They arc especially destructive upon newly-sown grass lands, particularly more so on surface sown. In the Kaitoke district, to my personal knowledge, one settler had nearly twenty bushels of rye grass seed devoured by these voracious birds in a few days, and in consequence had to make a fresh purchase, and sow down his land a second time. A noteworthy fact in connection with these quail is their rapid increase, which is certainly surprising. Within a few miles of Wanganui they may at the present time be seen in large numbers, although so short a time has elapsed since their introduction by the Acclimatisation Society, These societies, by the way, let me observe, should exercise great care in their operations, and coniine their efforts to the introduction of insectivorous birds only, this class being most likely to prove a real and permanent benefit to the Colony at large. I trust some of our enterprising sportsmen will, during the present shooting season, dispossess the Manutahi Gorge of the now arrivals above referred to. I am, &c., SETTLEII,