ACCLIMATISATION OF MALLARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20241, 29 April 1929, Page 14

ACCLIMATISATION OF MALLARD.

Sir, —Your report regarding the Auck; land Acclimatisation Society's efforts to introduce English wild duck teems to me to convey the impression that the introduction and liberation had failed miserably. What has really taken plane is that the society's first was badly managed, the stock birds were put in tho hands of private breeders and the numbers propagated were smaller than expected. Iliesc young l)irds v. ojc in no condition to forage for themselves when turned down, arid most of them made for human habitations, where they y.ero adopted by kindly farmers and arc perfectly safe. The council hps now decided that the imported birds, parent stock, be liberated in remote afeas and that new importations in 1930 and following years be at once allowed their freedom and to take their chances in a state of nature and that such birds be genuine migratory birds and not merely purebred Mallard 'of game-farm extraction. There are, of course, opponents to the importation of the English wild-duck, but never ■ was a forward movement made anywhere but someone offered opposition. Anyoijp in doubt about the immense superiority of tho Mallard over the native duckshould visit the Auckland Domain ponds. There ho will see the Mallard and the ordinary grey duck. The latter bird appears one-half the size of the former. , lie will also see that the native bird is as easily tamed, if desired, as'the introduced type. Tancataroa.