THE DESTRUCTIVE PRAIRIE JIKN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6818, 24 September 1883, Page 5

THE DESTRUCTIVE PRAIRIE JIKN.

Mr. G. Bertham Hutton, of Awa Tui, Otahuhuhu (near Auckland),'writes on this subject as follows :—The proposed introduction of the prairie hen by the Acclimatisation Society, and the apparent want of energy on the part of the farmers and orchardists of this province in protesting by petitions and other (vise, against such shameful want of consideration for their interests on the part of the Society leads me to ask you to once more bring the subject betore the public. I cannot' do better than quote that part of the naturalist Audul'on's description of this bird whicb refers to their destructive habits. He writes : —" Wnen I first removed to Kentucky, they weie looked upon with more abhorence than the crows are (it the present in Vlarsachuuetts, on account of the mischief they committed among tno fruit trees of the orchards during winter, when they fed on their buds, whilst iu the spring months they picked up the yraiu from the fields. I have sometimes counted more than 50 (fifty) on a sinple apple tree, the buds of which they entirely destroyed iu a few hcurs. I may add that although these birds telect wide prairies for their homes as a rule, they do not by any means avoid cultivated land, but readily avail thorn elvew of the plentiful supplies of food to bo found there.", We have already sparrows to eat the newly sown i>rain, and blackbirds to devour our fruit, and it is now pioposed to introduce a bird which will combine the above qualities, robbing us of even the blossoms of our fruit trees. With the evidence before our eyes of the rapid incrca-e of other imported birds in thiK island, we have sufficient reason to believß that the prarie hf.n would do likewise, and inflict serious injury on tho community. I cannot believe that, if the local bodies and Agricultural and Horticultural Societies made'a combined effort by petitioning the committee of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society against the introduction of these birds that the committee would persist in the attempt, but.should they prove themselves still deficient in sympathy with agricultural interests, then these- bodies should follow up their first 'efforts by bringing such force to bear on the Government, through th« members of the House of Reprcbentativee and Legislative Council, as would result in the withdrawal of the present most anomalous and despotic powers with which the Acclimatisation Society i--> at present vested. If the members'of this Society would employ their funds solely in the introduction of fish and valuable trees and plants, the public would not complain, but learn in' time to regard them as benefactors, and not :is at present as a body whose aims are diametrically opposed to all agricultural interests. .„:/ ,[./-Jl'■■'•}:'y.