TARANAKI.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 384, 28 June 1861, Page 3

TARANAKI.

(From the Taranaki Herald.)

We have delayed our issue until noon in the expectation that the Airedale might make her appearance, and thereby enable us to lay before our readers the latest native news from Auckland. The schooner Victoria is in the offing, but she will fc>iing nothing recent, as she has been some days out of the Manukau.

W. Kingi Matakatea, a Taranaki chief of the Dmuroa, who took a prominent part in the raids of his tribe upon our settlement, is now at the Poutoko with a few others, suing for peace. Theae submissions of individual natives, whilst they cannot affect the general question, will not fail to exercise an influence proportioned to the rank of the natives concerned, and it is as a chief of acknowledged position that Matakatea's abandonment of the league will be regarded. The Wonga Wonga has just returned for Wanganui. She arrived there yesterday morning, and after disembarking the troops, left the river with the evening tide.

The business of the Provincial Council was brought to an abrupt close on Thursday in consequence of an intimation from his Honor the Superintendent that the writ under which the elections of the Grey and Bell members were made had been reported to his Excellency the Gavernor as lost or mislaid by the late Returning Officer. The Council very prudently adjourned rather than waste time. The above elections are of course invalid, the Councils proceedings hitherto must for the same reason be gone through again.

The nomination of a member of the General Assembly to represent the Grey and Bell district in the place of W. C. King, deceased, took place at the Court House*on Thursday. Mr. 11. A. Atkinson, was proposed by Mr. Rulke, seconded by Mr. Watt, and no other candidate having been proposed, wt* declared duly etate&v

VICTORIA. We copy tho follow interesting letter from tho Melbourne Argus :—

ACCLIMATISATION

Sj r As a very striking illustration of tho advantage likoly to accrue from the thorough ventilation of tho subject upon which I have oi'rcii addressed you, I wish to present the following letter to the public. Amongst the many constantly pouriug in upon us, it seems of much rjcre than ordinary interest.

This letter arrived by the last mail. It is written by the curator cf tho Asiatic Society's Museum, in Calcutta; and I hear from other sources that Mr. Blyth is a gentleman of high respectability aud great attainments, and in every respect likoly xo carry out tho kind offices towards which he invites our co-opera-tion ;—

Asiatic Society's Museum, Park-street, Calcutta, 7th April, 186 J.

Dear Sir—l have just perused your letter, to the editor of the Colombo Observer, dated 28th February, Mini reuublisbed in the Saturday evening's Englishman (Calcutta paper) for yesterday, about." the acclimatisation of autnals, and at once put myself in communication with you, offering io reciprocate in the shipment of animals from our respective regions. There is much that I could do in this way for you and your associates, aud vice versa. I will even anticipate your reply by shipping to your address, by the first opportunity, three beautiful and perfectly tame spotted deer (Cervus axis), in finest health and condition ; and by reference to the shipping list, I find that there are now two vessels in this port bound for Melbourne. These deer consist of a doe and her grown-up buck fawn, aud a second buck a little older. More does I could soon procure. In the course of a few months, I could also easily procure the following:— Samur, or Samlmr (the so-called elk of Ceylon), should you require more females of this animal. Barak singha atng (Axis DuvaucelliJ, a noble species, much like English red deer, but with peculiar horns—the ci'own more or less ramifying. Njjlgai. Hog deer in any number. Miintjac, or barking deer. Indian antelope, with spiral horns. Arabian gazelle. Four-horned antelope. Bengal fox—a very pretty little animal, innocuous to poultry, and here chased with greyhounds. Feeds chiefly on insects. Bengal hare. Bengal porcupine (excellent eating). Squirrels (different kiud3). All the above might be turned loose when the stock is sufficiently established; and I could also send various carnivora, etc., suitable for ycur Zoological Gardens. Of game birds —wild pea-fowl, jungle fowl (the genuine wild cock aud hen), and probably also the Gallus Sonnerati.

Various pheasants aud partridges (several of great beauty). Numerous species of wild geese aud ducks, including most of the European species, save thoso of marine habits. A great variety of perching birds, parrots, etc. Various curious reptiles, as ohanielons, etc.; large pylhon, or boa. Also, some excellent fishes for the table, suitable foi- ponds, and, I think, well adapted for the Australian rivers, ao often reduced to a seiies of woter-holes. I especially mention, of carps, Cyprinus catla, 8.H., now Gaila Buchanani; C. rohila, 8.11. (Buchanan and Hamilton), n<nv llohita Buchanani; C. calbasn, Vi.il., now Rohila calbasu ; Cirrhina Nilgirica (Cyprinus Nilgirica, 8.H.). For these I do not wish to be paid in money, but in kind, and to receive auy duplicates you' may have tv spare of the following :—• Of Mammalia—Kangaroos, of any species, particularly the larger ; kaola, or native bear; wombat, or native badger; dasyuri, or native cat 3; phalangislas and petuuri, or native squirrels, etc.

Of Birds —Parrots, all —including cockatoos, especially Hack cockatoos, and the littlo budgorrigahs (melop iltacus), and the cockatoo purnquet and grass paroquet; the (so-called) native magpie (group croclicus harita), etc.; laughing jackass (dacelo); finches and small birds generally that will bear confinement; native companion, emus, black swans, cercopsia guose, semipaimale do.

Any cf the following, should they chance to be procurable:—-

kikeletous of auy marsupial genus, excepting kangaroo; skeletons of ornithorhynchus and echidna; skeletons of black cockatoos, scythrops, and dacelo.

Skins of scythrops, Australian kites, grass paroquet, cereopsus goose, and semipalmate do.: also of peraraolea (bandicoots). The above may appear a formidable list, but I mean that anything of those enumerated would be acceptable.

The principal difficulty is in procuring shipment on moderate terms; and you would therefoio do well to interest tho commanders of vessels plying here in the matter. My official position as Curator of the Museum of the Asiatic Society afford 3me peculiar facility in collectii)fj Indian animals.

April o.—l have arranged with the commander of the American ship Patmos, Captain Buck, for the conveyance of the three deer, which ho do will cost free, myself supplying the food. Look out, therefore, for that vessel, bound for Melbourne, and kindly write me word by the first opportunity on receiving this as to your willingness to reciprocate ; and, if to, send me what you can with the least practicable delay, and you most assuredly will not find mo wanting (as opportunities offer) in transmitting animals from India.

Yours, &c,

E. BLYTH,

Curator Asiatic Society's Museum, Calcutta

It is almost unnecessary to say that the offer of Mr. Blylh has been received in the most cordial spirit by the committee of the Acclimatisation Society, and we have every hope of the prompt organisation of a -vigorous system of exchanges. And in glancing down the list of animals of which he wishes specimens, it will be obvious how easily many of our fellowcolonists could render most effective assistance in providing a few of the commoner things of the colony—eommoa, even worthless here, but interesting and valuable in India ; and capable, through the intelligent system of interchange proposed, of being converted for us into as beautiful and valuable things as the whole long list of Indian zoology can supply. It would surely be no great effort to our settleis to send us iv constantly a few kangaroo, wallaby, native companions, emu, blaqk ewaas.

cockatoos, magpies, or wild cats. Yet these are the materials with which we can work, and Mr. Blyth's valuable letter shows well to what effect.

Tbe perusal of such a letter should lend impetus to our cause. What Calcutta says today, all other intelligent cities will say some day. Aud as the thing growß and spreads, it rests with ourselves to say how soon and to what extent our whole colony may be made to swarm with every thing interesting, beautiful, or valuable in any way.

We are getting on. Funds are flowing in ; and when we, at present a mere provisional committee, shortly resign our trust into the bands of a permanent one, we shall be able to show that we have neither been negligent nor idie. Our collector advertises that he will some day soon publish his subscription list, which will be found a satisfactory one. Two things strike me in it as worthy of mention. At our last meeting, be announced a subscription from Messrs. Kong Meng and Co., a Chinese firm. And the handsomest subscription yet made, except, ; that; of the Governor, is from Mr. Hoffman, a native of Germany, whom we all recollect industriously earning au honorable livelihood in Elizabeth-street, and who thus, by a donation of £25 and a subscription of two guineas annually, shows his grateful appreciation of a country which has furnished so fine a field for the exercise of his energies, thrift, and perseverance. When those who have come amougst us from other lands indicate in this way their belief in the capabilities of the colouy, and in the advantage of attempting the introduction of everything good aud new, it would little become English, Scotch, and Irish to hod their hands. And therefore, with such a valuable letter as this of Mr, Blyth for my text, I would solicit from one and all, a liberal reception of our collector as he makes his rounds, and from our country friends in particular all possible donations of native animals, easily to be collected generally by them, but of value equal to much money to us.

I am &c, Edward Wilson.

Melbourne, 17th May,