THE ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY OF VICTORIA.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 89, 11 September 1863, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY OF VICTORIA.

The Acclimatisation Society of Victoria has now been upwards of two years in the possession of the Royal Park, and during that period it has made important progress both in carrying out its objects and .in rendering the domain granted to it fit for its purposes. The Royal Park is a fine reserve of more than 500 acres, situated on the Sydney- road, within two miles of Melbourne. Well grassed, sufficiently timbered, and presenting an undulating surface, the only objection which can be taken to the site is, that its elevation renders it somewhat bleak. The animals located there seem, however, to do exceedingly well, and probably a more suitable spot could not be found in the neighborhood of the city. The society, to whose public spirit and enterprise it is unnecessary to allude, has already expended between L.3000 and L4OOO in the improvement of the domain. First outlays on works of this character can seldom be made to produce any striking results, but it is evident, from the accommodation provided at the park, and from the* condition of the grounds, that the funds, liberally contributed, have been, economically and judiciously expended. There is no place about Melbourne now where there is more to be seen and more to be learned than at the Acclimatisation Society's grounds.

The whole of the park is under the control of the society, but its operations are principally carried on in an enclosed reserve of fifty acres, situated in the middle of the domain. The improvements outside this spot consist of a number of paddocks with shelter-sheds, to which the goats and llamas, which feed about the park in the day-time, are driven in the evening. The enclosed reserve is neatly laid out with walks, and is divided into a large number of compartments, so as to admit of a separation and classification of the i animals on hand. The smaller birds, from the pheasant to the dove, occupy pbe as an tries — substantially constructed cages, of circular form, divided into compartments, and having a wooded house in tfoti centre, which affords the captives shelter. Near these, the water-fowl have two or three ponds to disport themselves in, and a larger and handsomer sheet of water, with an island in the- middle for the birds to breed upon, is being prepared for their ! use. The larger animals and birds, such as the Zebu bull, the Ceylon elks, ] and the ostriches, occupy paddocks, which, by radiating from a common ! centre, have their entrances close to- i gether. In enclosures around, deer, goats, and alpacas are lodged; there are a set of cages where monkeys, macaws, mongeese, and several zoological curiosities are to be seen; and in an adjacent aviary, a large number of English birds — sparrows, yellow-ham-mers and finches — are kept to recover from the effect of their long sea voyage previous to being liberated. Thegrounds about are, as we have said, neatly laid out, and a commencement has been made in the way of planting shrubs and trees to ornament them further. The staff employed in attending to the animals in keeping the grounds, consists of the Superintendent; Mr Sprigg, for whom a convenient residence is provided in the domain, and some half dozen attendants. The grounds arc in excellent order, and the cleanliness and good condition of the animals speak of the careful and skilful attention they receive. The object to which attention is being principally directed at present at the park is the acclimatisation of the Angoragoat, the Llama, the Alapaca, and the Cashmere goat. A valuable shipment of Angora goats has recently been received from the Society d'Acclimatisation de France. They are vere handsome animals, and their fine silky fleeces are not to be mistaken. Experiments are being made in crossing the Angora with the common goat, and the results already attained are most encouraging. Sufficient time has not elapsed, however, to permit of any positive conclusion being arrived at. An attempt is also being made to s.cure a cross between the 'pure alpacas, obtained from the Sydney Government, (a part of Mr Ledger's flock), and the llamas the society possesses, and there seems every reason to believed that the elfort will be ja success. One cross-bred 6f the kind is now to be seen, and it is a handsome animal. The Cashmere goats, which .were landed in a diseased state, are still 'in avery:bad condition, and an opinion upon the prospect of breeding them with | success here cannot yet be expressed. ;The other dhimals named seemed well suited to the' colony, and the society may 'be congratulated upon having established them in it.

'Although there is much to be noted, the extent of the society's operations ia not to be judged of from a visit to the Royal Park. At the Botanical Gardens singing birds are being acclimatised at the old zoojogical reserve ;,fish are being propagated at Port Phillip Island, where quietness and security can be obtained ; game fowls are breeding, and hives of

Ligurian bees are doing well about the city ; while good accounts are continually being received of 'the increase and the healthy progress of the animals and birds "liberated. What the society is doing, and What it has done, are best shown by the following list, which represents the state of affairs on the Ist of July:— LIST OF ANIMALS NOW IN THE itOYAL PARK AND BOTANICAI. .GARDENS, MELBOURNE,. AND AT PHILLIP ISLAND, WESTERN TORT. 16 camels (at Wimtnera), 43 llama alpacas, 2 pure alpaca bucks, 26 fallow deer, 5 Ceylon elk, 2 Axis deer, 9 hog deer, 2 Manilla deer, 5 Brahmin cows, 1 Zebu bull, 2 Ghinese buffaloes, 25 Cashmere goats, 18 Angora goats, 24 half bred ditto, 75 common goats to breed with Angora, 32 Chinese sheep, 10 Aden -sheep, .'. 1 Bengal sheep, 1 broad-tailed sheep, 4 English hares, 2 jSt. Bernard dogs, 6 kangaroos, 6 brush kangaroos, 4 wallaby, 1 wallaby (Flinders Island), 4 native bears, 4 opossums, 6 monkeys, 2 mongeese, 1 agouti, 2 Madagascar tortoises, 4 Indian porcupines, 2 lizards, 2 morukes, 8 curassows, 4 Ceylon wild peafowl, 4 English peafowl, 5 golden pheasants, 6 silver pheasants, 15 English pheasants, 3 grey Indian partridges, I black Indian partridge, 8 Californian quail, 2 Madagascar quail, 4 English plovers, 16 Algerine sand grou.se,' 12 white swans, 4 Canadian geese, 8 Egyptian geese, 22 Chinese geese, 4 Cape Barren geese, 2 white-fronted geese, 46 English wild ducks, 2 Mandarin ducks, 2 Bahama ducks, 2 Carolina ducks, 13 call ducks, 9 shell ducks, 6 Aylesbury ducks, 2 mountain ducks, 18 Muscovy ducks, 4 wood ducks, 1 macaw, 12 fancy pigeons, 2 crested pigeons, 4 wood pigeons, 17 turtle doves, 7 grey Indian doves, 9 green Indian doves, 3 Manilla doves, 2 Brazil doves, 9 emus, 5 native companions, 10 black swans, 2 Malay hens, 1 native bustard, 3 curlews, 2 eagle hawks, 2 small hawks, 2 white hawks, 1 owl, 2 pelicans, 2 laughing jackasses, 3 moreporks, 45 magpies, 1 cockatoo, 2 native plovers, 14 native quail, 2 Indian game fowls, .2 Creve-cceur fowls, 2 Houdin fowls, 2 Padua fowls, 2 Gascon fowls, 18 bantams, 20 common fowls, 5 blackbirds, 2 Cardinal birds, 3 thrushes, 2 Chinese thrushes, 2 skylarks, 18 ortolans, 14 starlings, 120 English sparrows, 30 Chinese sparrows, 15 yellow hammers, 20goldfinches, 40 chaffinches, 25 greenfinches, 7 Chinese finches, 6 Indian finches, 6 Rockhampton finches, 3 Brazilian finches, 12 linnets, 3 English robins, 10 canaries, 20 Java sparrows, 9 hives Lisrurian bees, 7 carp, 5 dace, 1 roach, 100 goldfish. LIBERATED. At the Botanical Gardens. — 18 canaries, 18 blackbirds, 24 thrushes, 6 California quail, 60 English wild ducks, 35 Java sparows, 4 English robins, 8 turtle doves, 50 mino birds. At Philip Island. — 5 pheasants, 6 skylarks, 6 California quail, 4 thrushes, 4 blackbirds, 1 pair white swans. At Sandstone and Churchill Islands. — 4 pheasants, 4 skylarks, 4 thrushes. At Yarra Bend. — 6 thrushes, 4 skylarks. Near Sydney. — 9 thrushes, 4 skylarks, 10 blackbirds. At Sugarloaf Hill. — 5 Ceylon elk, 3 Axis deer. At Wilson's Promontory. — 4 Axis deer, ,