ACCLIMATISATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1198, 18 February 1864, Page 5

ACCLIMATISATION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LYTTKIiTON TIMES. Sir,—A movement is now being made towards the formation of an acclimatisation society and subscriptions have been promised to a considerable amount. I have been requested to take a part in the matter, and I do not see that I can do so better than by attempting to enlist the support of the general public by giving all the information I can upon the subject, with the joint view of eliciting further information from others and of laying down the general features of acclimatisation for the benefit of those who have never bestowed much thought upon the matter.

The proposal is, in fact, to open a natura history class for the benefit of the community and to convert a portion of the rather howl-ing-looking common of Hagley Park into a park for the people, a horticultural garden for the province, and further to eurich its interest by making it a nucleus for the reception of animals, including birds and fishes, whose introduction may be useful to the colony, and from whence they may be distributed, as the growing improvements of the country may give them a safe home with the necessary food and shelter. ' I will now proceed to make some general remarks, the results of my own observation, and information. Sentiment, naturally, supplies a great portion of the steam power by which the Acclimatisation scheme must be carried out. The first feeling that strikes every one on coming to New Zealand is its intense want of animal life. Mountains, plains, rivers, —mere features without a soul; for yon can hardly dignify the miserable ground lark, the wailing weka, or the ghoul-like eel with such a title. We feel a want —the song of the bird—the consciousness that deer maybe feeding on the slopes of our glittering Alps, or the salmon or trout splashing in our clear streams, This is the sentimental part of it, and old Money Bags, the utilitarian, may exclaim — What's the use of all this fuss ?—it wo'nt pay. But if we avoid coaxing exotics into mere existence, confining ourselves to what will thrive, considering the conditions which nature either grants, or denies us, I believe it will pay, certainly indirectly, in some instances directly. The conditions necessary to animal life in an improving country, are always altering for the better—the amelioration of climate by shelter, the increase of insect life, new plants, new grasses —a constant change is going on. Some of these changes bring with them their own peculiar evils, perhaps some scourge in the shape of insect life, laying comparatively dormant till its time comes, or some overwhelming weed springing up

the' moment the conditions of its existence come into play. All these evils are modified or neutralized by variety of auimal life,- as there is a universal tendency of one class to prey upon another. The past history >of acclimatisation in New Zealand is a good illustration. European upon Maori rat, mouse disputing tenantry with the victor, cat upon both, neutralizing their destructiveness; the rabbit would have disputed the pasturage license with the sheep, but for the services of the cat, with the assistance of the hawk and rnt. These three stand out the great enemies to the acclimatisation of birds, the eel will be the cat of the waters. We cannot extirpate them—it is not desirable that we should, but we can clear them from our nurserys, and so far thin them that we may be able to overcome by numbers. The pheasant introduced fourteen years ago in the peninsula (from a single pair) is now in considerable numbers, 40 having been counted in one flight last year. Tliey are holding their own, though no doubt terribly kept down. Nothing could have been more successful than Mr. Britain's introduction of the partridge a few years ago. They only succumbed to all-active enemies, and had no assistance from active friends. Such would hardly be the case again. Whilst speaking of the rearing of birds, I may mention that in Australia one of my neighbors, in sowing oats for hay crop, used to leave narrow lands through tlie field sowed with canary seed and left uncut with the general crop. A walk up and down these lands, morning or evening, with the gun, could always procure a good bag of quail, and the birds never seemed to be thinned, but to be drawn from all the surrounding country. This may be a wrinkle to some worth bearing in mind. The swallow and the snipe must have been frequently involuntary visitors to New Zealand, and both succumbed to want of insect life in the water and in the air. There are a number of obstacles to fight against, but time and progress will overcome or neutralize most ot thein. The tree must be planted long before we can look for timber. Many of our best English productions are the fruits of acclimatisation by the Monks in the middle ages. In modern days little has been done beyond developing and improving domestic breeds, if we except a few halt exotic efforts as the eland, the bison, varieties ot the pheasant—the re-introduction of the caperkalzie which is now spreading in the Highlands, where it meets with the requisite conditions for its support, viz., the tender shoots of the Scotch fir. But all tlie.se are little. more than addenda to the game list. Here we want flights of insectiverous birds to correct the multiplication of destructive insects, caterpillars, blight, &c. Many of our mountain ranges would form a home tor the deer, which could not be occupied advantageously by sheep, and our sons may hun venison introduced by their fathers. At piesent it is mostly sentiment, but it helps to bind the heart to the adopted country. I must close this paper for the present. A good working committee could easily be found in Christchurch with whom the details could be brought into shape. I would hardly have time to take a part myself, though X would do what lay in my power to assist. Yours truly, MARK P. STODDART. Diamond Harbor, Feb. 15, 1864. t