ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2057, 27 July 1893, Page 23

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the council of the Otago Acclimatisation Society was held in the Government buildings on Monday afternoon. Present— Messrs J. P. Maitland (chairman), John Roberts, P. F. Sfcoddarfc, R. Chisholm, R. Campbell, G. P. Clifford, A. Stronach, J. Edgar. W. Cuningham Smith, D. Russell (secretary), and F. Deans (manager). Mr F. Deans (ranger) reported that he had removed to Clinton from Opoho, and he and Ranger M'Cormack were busy collecting ova. The total number collected up to date (including those obtained from the stock fish) was 442,300, made up as follows : — Loch Leven trout, 47,250 ; Scotch burn, 32,250 ; American brook trout, 22,250; Rhine trout, 3000; salmon, 9050; brown trout, 328,500. The American brook trout were now hatching, while the others were looking healthy. The parent salmon were not so prolific this winter, and as they were becoming fewer every year it was questionable whether it would not be better to give

them their liberty considering the society had a young stock of some hundreds coming. on. There were only some three' dozen of them at ' the present time, and they were not giving satisfactory results. He regretted to say that the young salmon ex Eaikoura were not doing so well as he could wish; A considerable number of them were dying from a deformity of the umbilical sac. He had previously referred to some that were affected with the same malady in one of the previous shipments, bub, the number was very limited. This was "probably due to a kind of strangulation, before bursting the shell. The report was received. < , ' . The Chairman stated that a telegram, bad been received from the Wellington society asking the co-operation of the local society, in ■ getting the Government to put a stop to the export in frozen chambers of native and imported game. As far as the Obago society was concerned there was little or no export of game from here, but in the Wellington and Auckland districts pheasants and quail were exported in large quantities. Pheasants used to be numerous in Auckland, but now they were comparatively scarce. ' •* Mr Roberts thought the society should do its best to put a stop to the export of all game in the close season. He moved the following resolution: — "That, for the purpose of (the better preservation of native and imported game, the society is of opinion (1) that the export in a frozen state oi any game, whether native or imported, should be prohibited ; and (2) that the law should so be amended as to entirely prevent any dealing with native or imported game, whether frozen or otherwise, out of season." Mr Stronach seconded the motion, Which was carried. A letter was received from Mr Crook,- St. Eilda, Victoria, giving valuable information regarding Victorian opossums. — It was decided not to take any further steps in procuring a, ' supply until a reply was received from Tasmania, as the Tasmanian opossums are more valuable than those of Victoria. A letter was read from the secretary of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society giving information of the price at which pheasants .could be supplied. — It was agreed to procure a few and try and rear them at Clinton.