ACCLIMATISATION IN TASMANIA.

North Otago Times, Volume XI, Issue 347, 18 September 1868, Page 4

ACCLIMATISATION IN TASMANIA.

The "Hobart Town Mercury," of a late date, ■ays : — "As the progress of acclimatisation in British colonies is now occupying much of the attention of scientific men in tho old world, it is appropriate that wo should give a brief account of what is being at at present done in Tasmania towards the same object. Our premier effort has, of course, been with the ealrnon and trout, and there is every reason to believo that it will prove not to have been a vain one. Accounts of the successful hatching of the salmon ova havo already been published by us, and since the fish migrated from the rivers sufficient indications of their presence have been observed by those entrusted with the management of the experiment to satisfy them that salmon are really present in Tasmanian waters, although an individual has not been captured. The brown and the sea trout are a known success. In tho ponas at Redlands several hundreds of them are disporting themselves, and they havo largely increased their numbers of late, the rills swarming with young fish. The river Plenty has been stocked with them, and already several very large breeding fish have been captured. Mr Ram sbot loin informed us on the 29 Ih ult. that no less than eight pairs of trout had been Been spawning in the rivor Plenty during last week, some of them being of particularly large size. Being desirous to have a pair for artificial breeding, Mr Kamsbottom caused the nets Lo bo run over a pair of spawning fish, but did not succeed in catching the male. The female was caught, and aftorwards two males, one being of tho astonishing weight of 9i pounds, and measuring upwards of 28 inches. These fish were afterwards returned to tho river. In addition to the salmon and trout, wo have abundance of English perch and tench, which aro now fast multiplying in many of the rivers of Tasmania. Tho acclimatisation of various other animals is now under the care of an Acclimatisation Society, which has been established not only to ' acclimatise British and foreign game,' but ' as far as possible, to prevent the extinction of native kinds.' To aid and encourage the efforts of this society, Lady Fraklin recently mado a free gift of Betsy's Island, — now called Franklin Island in honor of the liberal donor. This island has been vested in trustees for the benefit of the public. The island comprises about 550 acres of good land, well covered with an undergrowth of scrub and berry-bearing plants, which afford admirable cover and food for game ; it is moderately timbered. Franklin Island is situated in Storm Bay, four miles from tho mouth of the Derwent, and about eighteen miles from Hobart Town, and is now in charge of a gamekeeper. It has been for many years overrun with the Chinchilla rabbit, and ihe society have added hares, pheasants, and partiidges. Quail are abundant on the island, but are indigenous to the colony, Besides the animals and birds on Franklin Island, tho society has received from various sources the fallow deer, and numerous song birds have been liberated in various parts of the island, and are thriving well. A ram of the Angora breed has also been received, and is in charge of the secretary, Mr Graves, at his estate of Caldew, awaiting the time when a mate of his own species can be obtained. The G-overnment of the colony aro exceedingly anxious to encourage the efforts of the Acclimatisation Society, and have recently granted a lease of Green Island, in D'Elitrecasteaux Channel, to the trustees, at a rental of one shilling per annum for fourteen years. The island [is being planted with berry-bearing shrubs and plants, and sown with English grasses, and will shortly be ready for the reception of game for which there may be no accommodation at Franklin Island." The same journal in a later issue writes : — " We learn from one of the salmon commissioners that tho spawning for the present season is now over, and that the rill at (he head of the trout pond at tho Plenty exhibits in places a compact mass of spawning beds or rids, from which an ample supply of ova has been removed for distribution. Many of tho eggs havo been examined microscopically, and exhibit in every instance a healthy embryo. From the same source we have the gratifying intelligence that during the past two months, June and July, tho brown trout in the River Plenty have been forming their rids, which abound for a distance of two miles abovo the ponds, to such an extent that in many places tho mounds of gravel, each the resting-place of thousands of ova, literally touch one another. To Bportsmen accustomed to trout rids of an ordinary English brook, answering in sizo to our Plenty, some of these recently-made rids would appear gigantic, many of the mounds being from six to eight feofc in length, by about two feet in breadth, the gravel of which they are composed containing stones of more than a pound in weight. The largest rids were formed by fish varying from eight to ten pounds in weight, and each pair was, in many instances, engaged from three to four days in the construction of one rid."