IMPORTED GROUSE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19282, 20 September 1924, Page 15

IMPORTED GROUSE.

EXPERIMENT IN ACCLIMATISATION.

(Feom Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 19. Though several attempts have been made to bring grouse alive to New Zealand, all have failed until this week, when six out of seven birds sent out by Lady Liverpool arrived alive. One died on the voyage. At one time Mr T. H. Lowry, of Hawke’s Bay, leased an English moor, on which he reared a number of grouse for shipment to New Zealand, but they perished en route to the dominion. It will be interesting to see whether the present experiment in acclimatisation will be a success. The birds will be liberated in the Tongariro National Park, not far from the volcanoes of Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu where there is a suitable moor in which a limited amount of heather, imported from Ireland, if now growing. The birds will have some natural enemies—• stoats and weasels, hawks and wild cats. Mr John Cullen, formerly Police Inspector Oullen, who is the warden of the park apd a keen sportsman, name specially to Wellington to take charge of the grouse. They will bo liberated as soon as they become accustomed to the climate of the park.