ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Press, Volume XVIII, Issue 2668, 18 November 1871, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

The usual monthly meeting of the Council of the Acclimatisation Society washeld yesterflajafternoonintheLiterary Institute. Present —Messrs Peacock (chairman), J. A. Bird, Farr, Johnson, Broadfoot, Hill. Jameson, Duncan, Anderson, Fereday, Blakiston, and Wynn Williams. . . The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was read from Mr Bills, stating shat' he had done since his arrival in England. The Seceetabt said he had received from the/Colonial Museum, Wellington, a catalogue of the birds of New Zealand, by F. W. Button, F.S.A. The Curator reported several contributions that had been made since the last meeting. The receipts for October and Kovember amounted to £27 9s yd. A sum of £119s lid had been expended over the Tote for last month. The estimated expenditnre for the month of December, including the £1 19s lid, was £15, which was accordingly voted. The Curator further reported that the ten rooks landed were alive and veil, but not yet able to fly. Several substantial additions had been erected in the Acclimatisation gardens. A portion of the ponds had been cleared out and laid down in rje grass. The English perch spawn was now hatching in the" boxes in countless thousands. The Califor&iaa quail at large in the gardens were increasing, and the ■ffbnga Wonga pigeons had made a neet and laid..

Mr Hill remarked that the pheasants, qteilSj'and other birds in the Acclimatisation Gardens were much annoyed by children and inconsiderate visitors, thereby occasion"iiiFllr Johnson considerable difficulty in rearing the young birds. This could be obviated to a certain extent by their being more'secluded. He moved—"That the mace on both sides between the outer gate ;at fee Acclimatisation Gardens and the broomhedge, be fenced in ; also, the short pieeeiefctreen the broom and the aviary, so Uα enable: the enrator to keep his young •pbeasMte, quails, and other birds from being 4lstobed during the breeding season, and tfcafclfessrs Peacock, Fereday, and Hill, be empowered to expend a sum. not exceeding

I The motion was seconded by Mr Fesspay, -and carried. Mr Febbday read some extracts from Tlie ■Held, relative to the mischievous and deStaseitve habite of the hedgehog; and Mr Johnson was instructed that on the arrival d those expected from England, he should keep them shut up, until the Society, at a tubseqaent meeting, should come to a de-wsioa-sespeeting them. A discussion took place regarding a promise oh the part of the Society to furnish the Auckland Acclimatisation Society with a wpplj-of young trout. Qa the motion of Mr Blakiston, seconded Myifr BBOAI>POOT, ifc was resolved that 100 JOUD> trout should be forwarded at the . wUest opportunity to the kindred eociety in Aflcldaad, in exchange for some Australian qnafl, "arid that the Society should be informed that they could be supplied with as oanymore fish, not exceeding 300, as this Society can spare, at the rate of £5 per itnijted; r Ttis'torminated the proceedings.