A SHOOTER’S APPRECIATION.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 March 1939, Page 6

A SHOOTER’S APPRECIATION.

(To the Editor), Sir,—Being interested in the doings of the Masterton branch of the Acclimatisation Society, I was in attendance at the recent annual meeting and was greatly astonished to hear a member remark that a wild duck had been found poisoned (believed to have been caused by poison laid down for the restruction of rabbits). If the poisoning of ducks takes place on a large scale, as may presumably be the case, is it any wonder that there is a serious shortage of the number of these sporting birds, which are, at the present time, the only birds supplying the shooter with his winter’s sport? I was gratified to learn that the Society was about to ask permission for the introduction of some other game birds, namely: the golden plover, the common snipe, and the woodcock. As one who has been familiar with them in Great Britain for many years, no better choice could have been made. Tb<w are insectivorous by nature, are perfectly harmless to all vegetation, aand frequent, such localities as swamps, lagoons, marshy places, rivers, creeks, water races, open drains, ditches. etc. The common snipe would after a few years’ strict protection, be found almost every where, and as a a snorting proposition he is a bird it would be difficult to improve upon. I sincerely wish the society every success in this new undertaking, and hope the permit asked for will be eventually obtained.—l am, etc.. W. A. DOWNES. Masterton, March 29.