FISH AND BIRDS

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LIII, Issue 56, 15 July 1932, Page 6

FISH AND BIRDS

VISIT TO GREENPARK HATCHERIES.

CHUKOR DOING WELL,

A party of Ellesmere residents, including Mr W. O. Rennie, member of the council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, and Mr J. Winchester, supernumerary member of the council, paid a visit to the society's fish and game hatcheries at Greenpark last week-end, where they were received and shown over the property by Mr J. Digby, the curator. After inspecting the appliances for providing an adequate water supply, the visitors were taken through the trout hatchery, a large brick building, and the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Here the troutjova in various stages of development were shown and the methods °f treatment and of packing for sending to other parts of the Dominion were fully explained. The number of ova runs into millions, and the visitors were impressed with the fact that a considerable amount of work and care were involved in looking after the hatchery.

Afterwards a visit was paid to the large pens containing the game birds which the society is rearing. There were many pheasants, Californian quail and chukdr. The latter, which were imported from India, were of special interest. They are very pretty birds, about the size of a Guinea hen, and .very plump in apShould the society's ef-

pearance.

forts to establish them in Canterbury prove successful, they should provide excellent sport in the course of a few years. All the birds appeared to be strong and healthy, showing evidence of having been well cared for.

On the way back'the party visited a point at the Selwyn river, on Mr Rennie's property, where traps are set to catch trout for stripping. Large numbers of fish were observed along the stream, the sight making the angler members of the party wish that the opening of the fishing season had arrived. Altogether it

was an interesting outing.