PROTECTION OF GAME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10083, 19 March 1896, Page 3

PROTECTION OF GAME.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—lf the decrease of pheasants is really due to their constitutional delicacy, as suggested by one of your correspondents, owing to in breeding, why not exchange stock with British Columbia? 1 have frequently seen pheasants on Lulu Island, in the delta of the Eraser, a place where the land is so wet no one would expect to find anything but snipe and wild-fowl. During the winter this swampy place often gets frozen tight, and snow will remain for weeks, and yet our handsome friend lives and thrives. In this island cats and hawks appear to be the only enemies to be contended with. Contrast this with Rritish Columbia, whore the Provincial Government places a bounty on coyots and wolves. The British Columbia Game Protection and Acclimatisation Association are endeavouring to add several varieties of hawks and falcons, the golden eagle, and magpies ; add to these fox, racoon, lynx, wild cat, and skunk, which being hunted and trapped for their furs, it is unnecessary to stimulate the reduction of; but I give a pretty complete list, to show that a pheasant must be a pretty " 'cute little cuss" to live at all.

If the Acclimatisation Society has satisfactory evidence of the serious decrease of birds, why not take the bull by the horns, and give them a season's rest, place 2s Oil oil the head of every hawk, and fa on each wild cat's scalp? This would immediately shut down on wild talk about " class," and probablv prove that in-breeding has not much lo do with the decrease. It is not very long since the prairie chicken became so thinned out iii the North Territories and Manitoba that they wore given ono year's complete rest. This measure completely met the case, for they were remarkably numerous tho following season. Oil Vancouver's Island the pheasants were terribly shot out, in spite nf the protection that lias always been accorded to the lion birds, and the Government following the lead of Manitoba and the Territories, gave a season's immunity to pheasants, with what result cannot be definitely stated before next September, so tho Auckland Acclimatisation Society nave capital precedents to show. Why not import toe prairie hen? They are hardy, good breeders, strong on the wing, and afford capital sport. This bird appeared to mi", from the very first day on which I had the pleasure of making his acquaintance over a couple of well-trained setters on tho boundless prairie, to bo just the came bird for New Zealand,— is, of course, in the open or cultivated country. I don't think it fair to criticise the action of the Acclimatisation Sooiety in stocking streams with fish, and complain that the shooters provide the means. Who provided the means by which all foreign game became acclimatised And as for fishing being only for the wealthy, is not this too far-fetched altogether? Why, every old sporting book specially refers to angling as the poor man's recreation.—l am, etc., R. Mackav Fripp, Late Secretary of the B.C. Game Protection and Acclimatisation Association. 320, Victoria Arcade, Auckland, N.Z., March 18,1890.