NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3049, 22 November 1878, Page 4

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

(feom the home.news.)

GROUSE FOR THE.COLONIES. Mr John Cameron, of Aberfeldy, has sent the, following notice of the efforts made'biy ;the Acclimatisation Society to obtain,a supply of Scotch grouse and black 'game for Otago, New Zealand:— "Colonial enterprise is so well known no^-^days that little surprise will be expressed at the experiments now being made by the Acclimatisation Society, of Otago, New Zealand, to introduce grouse and black game, into. that, colony:, The society .hay c 'sent over one of their agents, Mr Charles Bills, jun., for the purpose of procuring about 200 birds for, breeding and rearing on the far distant hills of Otago/i Mr Bills,, since his arrival in this country in July last; has succeeded in securing several broods of both species.' The first lot were captured in Glenfiddich oh the .moors belonging to the Duke ,of Richmond, and Mr Bills is now. busily employed in the neighborhood of Aberfeldy, on the Breadalbane moors, obtaining specimens. Thfe cagesin which the specimens are confined were especially, made for the purpose. They ire of wood, and measure 3ft Sin in length, and Win in depth. The top is padded with strong canvas, so that ( the birds when excited or flurried cannot injure fthem'selves. In front are strong wire bars, and blinds regulate the light. The birds are daily fed on buckwheat, soaked tares, Spratt's patent food, hemp, and canary seed, German paste, hardboiled eggs, maize, and oatmeal, For the outward voyage a supply of cranberries is. being! obtained from Norway. At the Zoological Gardens in London they, hare never been able to keep grouse or black game alive longer than two months, and, many eminent naturalists declare that it is-utterly impossible for them to exist without heather, yet Mr Bills caught his birds on the heather, and from the day of their capture until now—'about eleven weeks—they have neither seen nor tasted it. The birds have not suffered in weight nor appearance, and appear to be thoroughly comfortable in their new home."