IMPORTATION OP BLACK GAME

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1523, 4 January 1879, Page 3

IMPORTATION OP BLACK GAME

The following letter, received by Mr Bcgg by yesterday’s mail, has been handed to ue ( ‘Dunedin Herald”) for publication : While I regret the delay which lias taken place, I am glad to be able to make a more favourable report than that which was contained in my letter of September 12th last. All the landed proprietors to whom I applied after that date, including Lord Braadalbane, refused to allow birds to be caught on their ground, purely on account of the scarcity of black game and partly because (hey thought the catching would interfere with their sport, I again applied to the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, with the result that permission was at once granted for Bills returning to his grace’s ground at Strathspey. Bills at onco proceeded to the place, and since his arrival there he has caught upwards of twenty birds and expects to get as many more in the course of a fow days. The others which escaped the distemper—about twenty-five in |ali —although they have now been confined for upwards of three months, are in the best possible health ; and Bills writes mo that, as those newly caught are very much stronger than the others were, he has no fear of their swirving, and that he will be quite ready to sail by the middle of December. Messrs Henderson and Co.’s ship Lyttelton is fixed to sail on the 25th of December, and I shall arrange for Bills proceeding by that vessel without fail, when I hope ho will take on board close on 100 healthy birds. I am very sorry that so much delay has taken place, and that I have not been able to get more birds, but a great many circumstances were against us, especially Bills not having arrived in this country until within a few days of the 12th of August. But if the birds we have got do well I shall have no difficulty, with the experience of this year, in getting as many as you may wish at a future time ; and I need not eay that it will give mo great pleasure at any time to do everything in my power to further the interests of the Society.— Geo. Andrew.