ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.
A meeting of the Acclimatisation Society was held yesterday afternoon at Warner's Hotel. Present—Dra. Frankish (Chairman) and Britten, Professor Hutton, and Messrs F. J. Kimbell, H. B. Webb and S. C. Farr, Hon. Sec.
A quantity of correspondence was read and received. It was mostly applications for and acknowledgments of parcels of fish.
Mr C. R. Campbell wrote from Bangiora applying for permission to shoot hares on his property, as they were doing much damage to the garden and young trees. Granted.
A letter from Mr Hill to the effect that after some difficulty his brother had procured two magpies, and hoped to get two or three more, elicited a protest, from Professor Hutton against the introduction of these birds. The matter was allowed to drop. Mr J. M. Gilling, of the Hamilton Domain Board, wrote asking for perch. There were numerous lakes in the Waikato very suitable for them, and the Board had been very successful in rearing trout. The Secretary has already replied to this application that it came two months too late.
The Sxcbbtabt reported that a new pond was being made and money would be wanted for it and the necessary fencing. On the general question of ways and means, the Chairman thought it should bt their first consideration to keep up the gardens and fish culture. The Sbcbstabt quoted Sir James Maitland's ponds in Scotland, whence a large income waa derived, but it was pointed out that of 40,000 fish distributed this year only about 10,000 had been sold.
Dr. HtJTTON thought it unwise to go to too much expense till they had more money in hand; and in spite of the urgency of the matter, it was resolved to leave it in abeyance till the next meeting. In the matter of the Fisheries Bill opinions differed as to the suitability of the Government measure to the needs of the Society. It was decided to take no action with regard to it at present. The Chaibkan proposed that a specimen of the fish about whose identity there waa so much dispute should be sent home. If it really was the Calif ornian salmon it should be protected. Professor Hutton explained that there should be no difficulty whatever in deciding the point. The salmon that inhabited rivers running into the Pacific were a separate genus, one of whose distinguishing marks was the number of rays on the anal fin. ' While the fish on the Atlantio side has ten or eleven, the Californian salmon has thirteen or fourteen rays, and this difference was a perfectly sufficient test. However, if a specimen went home for identification, he would recommend that it should be sent to Dr. Gunther, at the British Museum, who was the best authority on the point.
It was decided to send Home two fish frozen, one to Dr. Gunther and one to the Editor of the "Field."
This finished the proceedings.
ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.
Press, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5703, 29 December 1883, Page 3
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.
Log in