PARADISE DUCKS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20704, 30 April 1929, Page 9

PARADISE DUCKS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —I have noticed with much amusement the controversy raging- in your columns concerning the action of the Acclimatisation Society in allowing an open seasor of one week for the shooting of paradise ducks, t I must commend the society for its action, but, to my mind, the season should have been extended further. . Concerning the statements that paradise ducks are scarce, 1 wish to eay that 1; know of several places where these birds abound in hundreds. It is nothing in these districts to see 50 or 60 in one flock. I would like to ask what useful function these birds perform? Besides being far from ornamental, they do a great deal of harm to grass and cereals which could otherwise be utilised in feeding stock. It is by no means an unusual thing for the ducks partly to destroy crops of young wheat or oats, Would these bird fanciers be so keen on their protection if, by so doing, (hey stood to lose the result of a years work? Sportsmen, as a class, also have a grudge against these birds. It is no new experience for a deerstalker to have his quarry disturbed at the critical moment by the inane squaking of these senseless creatures. Let these native bird lovers turn their attention to the protection of keas. which are wrongfully accused of billing sheep. And, I ask, is not the kea a more striking bird than the paradise duck? In conclusion I maintain that the paradise duck would be better known as “ parasite ” duck, and that the society would be acting in the interests of the primary producers if it extended the open season.—l am, etc., Sportsman.