LAND AND WATER.

The shooting season for native and imported game opens on Tuesday, April 1, and clcaes on June 30. No doubt city residents will be disappointed at not getting a shot at the wild ducks and pigeons during the Easter holidays, but no doubt many will extend their holiday for a day or two to test their I skill and luck. Tho Acclimatisation Society j is taking steps to sge that during the Easier holidays game is not molested. Ducks -are reported a.? fairly numerous in their favourite haunts. Pigeons and swamp-hens should be plentiful after last year's respite. The early date on which the Easter holidays fail this year, coupled with the late harvest season and bad weather throughout Otago, and especially tho last two days' heavy rain, has destroyed all hopes of the Otago battalions taking advantage of the •?a<on to hold the usual camp--. The Garlison Naval Artillery intend camping at the batteiy, but the other battalions and corps propo c e holding their camps- of instruction at a mcie favourable time during the year. The battalion and corps commanders have fsed every endpa\our to form these camps, but find, for the reasons, mentioned, that the muster would not be such as would tend to efficient results or warrant the neceivary expenditure. Their efforts have al<?o been retarded by the fact that instructions have only just been received from headquarters whereas, in order to facilitate holding a camp, they should ha\e como to hand a fortnight ago. An incident of interest to pigeon fanciers is related which bears on the disputed question of whether the birds can be tnught to fly to and fro (says the Southland News). An Invercargill breeder purchased two '" aqueakers " from Mosgiel. and, after keeping them in the loft several weeks, liberated the birds in company with a number of others of his own rearing. One of his purchases disappeared, and next "morning he received word by telegraph that it had arrived at its old quarters in Mofcgiel. A month later, much to his surprise, the bird again turned up in Invercargill, evidently having returned to ioin its mate. The distance traversed exceeds 100 miles each way. and the performance, according to fanciers, is unique. The following deer-=hooting licenses have been issued up to date at Tapanui • — C. Atkin, W. E. Bromley, J. E. Bioniley. Tracy King, John Stiven, Robert Shearing, Htnry Heath, George Edie, Robert Edie, Albert Edie. P. Hay, K. A. Rodger. Wm. Ramsay, jun., Dr Wm. Robertson. W. W^ Maekie, A. Oharlton, A. Greer. G. Braudigam. W. Jarkson, ■». Allan, W. Reddf'tt, W. J. Wadworth, J. D. Rodger (Dalvcy), and W. Quin. The highest scorer in the competition in the Canterbury volunteer district for Government medals for riflp shooting was Corporal A. J. Bentley, who made an aggregate of 103. The Messrs Todd Bros, had an exciting adventure with a shark on Tuesday (-.ays the North Otago Times). The c-'iark. w liicli is estimated at about 20ft long:, has been frequently <-een at the inner voef, opposite Awamoa, and has often stood in the way i of a successful day's fishing. On Tuesday it enveloped itself in Mctsrs Todd's moki net. The net wns a new one, and stood the stiain, but a*s there was no way of getting rid of the shark but by towing it into the harbour or cutting the net adrift, it was decided, \ so as to pave the net, to tow the sharkinto the harbour. For four hours the " towing " went on, but often there was a difficulty in telling whether the boat or the shark [ had command of the tow rope. Eventually the neighbourhood of tho breakwater was reached, but the shark took a btrong pull beachwirda. and in order to obviate going ashore the fish was cut adrift, still with the greater part of the net wrapped around it. It is intended by the expeutive of the North Island Brass Bands Association, so a Taranaki paper states, to eon'idei the advisability of limiting entries for folo competitions in future ; and it is also deemed advisable- to take over control of the marching contest, and have a plan and conditions ppccially prepared for all contents Mr I Oakce, the secretary . l.as beon interviewed by several bands on the matter, and has intimated that he will bring it forward at the first council meeting in Wellington > The Invercargill Homing Chib brought oft their Derby contest for young cock birds on Wednesday. The race from Mosgiel was a very close one, and the velocity attained was the best yet recorded by the youngsters in the scrips. Ten lofts were represented by 30 birds, and all finished. The. winner was bred by the owner, and this was his reeend victory this season. Following are^ the placings: — R. Joyce's bl rheq White Wings, 1066 yds; H. Double's red chrq Dr=pot, 1065vds: W. Noble's red Nikola. 1056 yds; R. Longley. 1055 yds: R Day, 1048 yds; R. Blackham, 1039 yds; G Dunlop, 1026 yds: G. M'Kay, 1017 yds; J. Friend, 1009vds. Crowther'*, bird homed early, but his clock had stopped. A race for hen birds over the \ »ainr» course takes place on Good Friday. — Southland Tunes. The following officers have been awarded the Imperial Volunteer Officers' Decoration for long service: — Lieutenant-colonel R. J. Collins, First Wellington Baitalian (23 years 215 dayb) ; Maior W. Smaill (Ot.ogo). Un- , attached active list (20 years 260 day.) ; Com- ; inander Edwin Davy, Wellington Navals (20 years 302 day») ; Captain H. S. F.tzherbert, unattached active list (20 years 121 days) : Lieutenant-commanding A. R. Hislop, unattached active list (21 years 306 days) ; and Captain George Kirton. Second Wellington Battalion (20 years 65 days) A match by members of the Gore Gun Club was held on Wednesday last, when only five competitors turned up. Mr E. A. j jEs£jired fgr^ tfeg fifladitttßL

being 11 birds, the cup to be wou twice in succession or three times at intervals, together with a gold medal and sweepstake. For such a good day the shooting was not first class. The winner turned up in Powell, who killed 12 birds, after tieing with J. Mulvey and G. Taylor. Mr A. J. Gibba was handieapper and referee, and gave every satisfaction. A shooting match was fired off at the Colac Range on Saturday, 15th inst., between the first and second teams of the Colao volunteers. Considerable * interest was taken in the match amongst the local residents, as it was expected the second team would give the first a hard tussle for senior place. The first team just managed to win with a. very few points to spare. Scores: First" team. 270, Second team 259. - • •' Since the Royal -visit, and in view -o£ ,the Coronation, the natives- of the Wairarapa (says the New Zealand Herald) have been actively collecting "huia feathers. Some very handsome mats have been made, and will be despatched with a native missioner for presentation to the Royal Tamily, antl possibly to the T\ing. The it may be remarked,- do not appear to realise that the huia is now a protected bird. Most of the feathers are, being obtained from natives in the north, as the h'uia is very rare in tbe Wairarapa. Unless more stringent methods of protection are adopted,. the bird trail be exterminated altogether.- . There- are" more waya;;than one,,oT killing duclM out of season,' and the *Hy native (says the Waiiba, Bawke.'s Bay,' Guardian)' ha^ proved eqv.al to the occasion. Wholesale destruction of the birds is being carrietl on at the lagoons near the mouth of the river, snaring being ihe method employed. The nativeß suspend lines of flax over the shallow water where the birds feed, and from these lines they haeig a number of running noose*. The birds, swimming along, are caught by the neck, and the " sportsman " thereafter feasts on the ill-fated " narera." "Mr Mackenzie, curator of the Kanieri Lp.ke hatchery, ha-s been experimenting for the past few months with whitebait, and has succeeded hi securing TV email quantity of ova. He is sending specimens and Particulars of his experiments to the New Zealand Institute. There was lovely weather for the opening of the deer-shooting season on Saturday (sayi the- Tapauui Courier), aud snort3nion were out in considerable numbers, irdln Ranklebutn to the north end of the mountain. Licenseholders who remained on this side of the mountain, however, found stags very scarce, although birds are still numerous. Very few kills resulted on the opening day, though a great many slibts were h^ard along th<> mountain faces. It is not excepted that many good heads will be secured until the ".barking" season commences, which may be well into next month ; and then sportsmen will have to travel the Rankleburn forests. Those who ha-vo visited this immense bush report that there are plenty of indications of stags right aoosn the mountain range, tut as the animals only move about at one period of the yenr it is nos t-asy to locate them. Stags have lately beea seen near the Pomahaka, at the mouth of th-> Rankleburn and Back Creeks, so that they-hav^ soread as far as possible in that direction. T\ the Black CJeugh locality many fine beads hzv<* also be:n seen, but canming out in these parts means considerable work, and good weather is necessary to enable stalkers to get .about the country. THE AUSTRALIAN SWJM3IERS. CHRISTCHTTRCF. Mnrch 21. Thp New Zea'ancl Amateur Swimininer Association met to-night ami considered applications to have tlu following reeoids passed:—R. Cavill, quarter-mile (woiM). half-mile (world), .aud onr-mile (world), and F. C. Lane. lOOvda (Australasian championshio) and 220 yds (New Zealand chamnionship). The secretary was instructed to obtain the necessary evidence with regard to times and distnnces. It was suggested that nil effort should be made to get the three Australian swimmer's to revisit New Zealand on their way back from Rnglanrl. and to spend a short tim* in each centre- to take parl, in competitions. »rd to clo soire coaching. P was stated llißt the swimmers would ron;r> i' ')oa'd suij ='.ran:er fares were paid and they would rpa'li Ih° cn'onv at the Spinning of next season It was dpcid"d to write to various and ascv'oin what support they would be prepared to five to the project.