TALK ABOUT DUCKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19060, 3 July 1925, Page 6

TALK ABOUT DUCKS.

SCARCITY lIM OTAGO. The question of protecting native duck came befero the meeting of the council of the Otago Acclimatisation Society this week, in consequence of the president, Mr. Buttcrwcrth, mentioning that it had been suggested to him that largo sheets of water be declared sanctuaries. This, Mr, Butterworth said, had been the worst duck-shooting season they had had and the ducks were getting >■ scarcer and scarcer. Whethor the easier way to get over the difficulty was to declare these large sheets of water sanctuaries he did not know, Mr. Ruthetfcrd expressed the opinion that a close season would only bo playing into the hands of the poacher. From what he knew there had been more ducks about this season than there had ever been!, Mr. Cowie said that this season ducks had made sanctuaries for themselves. Mr. Howes suggested that the wild ducks should be given a breeding piace in the midst of water like Lako Waihola, Now they were molested by rats and weasels. He thought if these sanctuaries had some island in the middle to protect the docks jit would be a good idea. An island on these sheets of water, with a few trees growing on iit, would be a great protection. ' l Mr. Rutherford said that, hawks picked up large numbers of young ducks. After some further discussion the president remarked: "Well, what's to be done for the birds?" A member, whose mind was apparently still running on some previous talk about the deer herds, said: "Cull them!" The laughter that, followed the remark caided