LAND AND WATER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2205, 4 June 1896, Page 31

LAND AND WATER.

At last week's meeting of the council of the Southland Acclimatisation Society it was resolved that the curator be re-engaged for one year at the same salary" as last year, and that Mr D. Mackay, of Dipton, be requested to undertake the trout-stripping arrangements upon the same terms as last year. The secretary, wai instructed to communicate with the Colonial Secretary pointing out the desirableness of the Government obtaining r^d deer from Wairai-apa and distributing them in this district. It was decided that the secretary write to the Otago Society as to procuring fallow deer (cay ten or a dozen) for this district; also that the secretary write to Mr Bills, of Danedin, for his terms for procuring the common peewit and the golden plover alive and in good condition. A donation of £1 was ordered to be paid to Constable Cooney, of Dunedin, for bis services in the Fortrose proseoution ; Mr Archibald Ohisholm,

I— MOT— *»>iM»r.<JM IWIII . iiiiilßVU* iiaa . ii iiinidiaiiK. iwxvwfflam of Sprlngbillfi, to bs.reootmnendod to Govern* ment for appointment as hon. ranger of th!tf society. The secretary was instructed to make inanities as to procuring black partridge from India. An interesting item of natural history baa been forwarded to us (Timaru Herald) by Mr John S. Rutherford, of Opawa station. He informs us by letter that his emus have laid ten 1 egg*. 16 is now two yean sinoe they laid, and, as before, the male bird is sitting on the eggs. He hatched the eggs before, and the one chick produced was looked after by him until la*t March, when he left it and paired witi the hen bird again. During the whole of this time ,the hen had to keep to herself and haj* rather a lonesome time of it, for whenever shtf happened to come near her consort and hi* •• baby " he chased her away. This X very interesting, and is very gratifying to lear£ that the distinguished aliens are getting on so well. , A correspondent of the Falmerston Times sends that paper the following :—" John Kemp", son of Mr James Kemp, of Kartigi, when going his rounds of the paddocks last Saturday, sat* » large black boar among the sheep. The brute took but little notice of the dogs except to charge them when coming too oloee. The brother of the young man came to join in the hunt, armed .with a hayfork which, with tija exception of a the&th knife, was their onlw weapon. Apparently the monster had loit hintself, because instead of making for the Horse Range, he started towards Trotter's Creek, which 1 he orossed, and proceeded north through the top end of Mr James Ross's Pebbly Brook estate, with the hunters in close attendance, where he again showed fight. His great weight was beginning to wind him up. To keep him going* one of the young fallows would torment him to cause the brute to charge in the direction they 1 wished him to go. In course of time they go 6 the game to a district road and on the main road as far as the Kartigi School, where ho turned up the district road that leads to the bush, but had gone but a few yards when ha rushed through the fenoe and on to the railway line. Had he not done so and continued up the distriot road there might have been a serious accident;. About four chains from where the savage brute left the road an elderly lady, who is in a delicate state of health, was sitting on the bank at the roadside enjoying the fine day. Had the beast got his eyes upon her the consequence might have been awful to contemplate. Just after the boar had got between the railway fences the 1140 a.m. train came along and nearly ran the animal down. The two brothers and their four dogs were sticking close to their prey, which they landed among .the trees at Hillgrove railway station, where he lay down exhausted. The ohase had letted about; three hours, and about six milei of ground had been gone over. A gun was procured, and, after five shots had been fired at him, the monster breathed his last. He measured over 6ft from point of note to tip of tail ; the head was 2ft long, and two immense tutks projected from the jaws. As a trophy of the chase the hunters brought home the tail, which had a large bunch of hair at its tip. A part of the skin was also brought, cut from off the shoulder, which measured l£in in thickness. After the head was taken off the carcase was taken possession of by the Maoris. Trotter's Creek Gorge has always been noted for the size of the boars found there." The rat which lost both its eyes in a. trap in a Timaru store a couple of weeks back is frequently seen. It is otherwise uninjured, and finds its way about without apparent di& ficulty. The North Qtago Times states that Mr B. Hodgkinson, of Longslip, has secured four good stags' heads, one being particularly good. A Paris oable says: — "Linton, the cyclist, has ridden from Bordeaux to Paris in 21hr 17min, beating the reoord and hit three opponents by lmin."

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