WELLINGTON ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9497, 28 April 1894, Page 5

WELLINGTON ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

[by TELEGRAPH.—PRESS association.] Wellington, Friday. The Council of the Wellington Acclimatisation Sooiety has entered into correspondence with a gentleman in England with a view of introducing the common English bat into the colony, our wild native bat having almost died out. It is thought that they might be artificially hibernated in boxes full of straw, with air-holes, placed in the cool chamber, and then brought out to the colony. A singular experiment has also been suggested to an English naturalist with a view of ascertaining whethor it is possible to artificially hibernate and import any of the European swallow species. During last season 800,480 fry and eyed ova were distributed by the Wellington Acclimatisation Society from the Masterton fish hatcheries. In its annual report the Council of the Society points out that it is now nine years since the Society undertook to stock the waters of the North Island, and the results Of the good work are now being felt far and near. If the results were compared with the work of a similar kind carried on in other countries by societies subsidised by the State it would be found that work had been carried on at a very low cost at Masterton by means of license fees, contributions from other societies, and subscriptions. It had also to be remembered that stocking the rivers of the colony with migratory fish also involved stocking the coast line of the ocean, a very large undertaking, and one which would eventually be of large commercial value to fisheries.