"ON SWALLOWS."

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 136, 9 June 1909, Page 8

"ON SWALLOWS."

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Bβ Mr Thos. Cameron's letter, about swallows TMay 12th, 1909), I have the honour to state the following facts:—(l) That in 1904, I was" corresponding with the Premier of New Zealand on that subject; (2) that I proposed Bending'eggs over to N.Z. from Victoria to be hatched in the nests of some of the insectivorous birds of N.Z-; (3) that I got a permit from the Victorian Commissioner of Public Works, E. H. Cameron, Esq., to take five .dozen swallows' Vggs for the purpose of sending to New Zealand (I have it still); (4) that I unfortunately could not find anyone in N.Z. whom I could send the eggs to, to be placed in some native birds' nests with a view to their being hatched , and reared in N.Z., so I was reluotantly obliged to drop the idea for the time; (5) that this was in 1004, and the permit i* dated 30th September, .1904; (6) that if Mr Thoe. Cameron wishes to try the experiment of introducing the swallow into N.Z., I shall be happy to get and eend him some eggs if he will place them in the neste of suitable N.Z. birds. This should be done with great care, not to disturb the neste.—l am, etc., THOS. S. PATRICK, (Member of the British Empire Naturalists' Association, Mt. Prospect, Healesville, Victoria, Australia.)