LAND AND WATER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 31

LAND AND WATER.

At the present lime the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society has the largest stock of breeding fish, two years old and last year's , fry, that has ever been held in the acclimatisation gardens. They are all looking well and in good condition, and it is confidently expected that s. large supply of healthy ova will be obtained from' them, thus rendering the board more or less independent of floods in the rivers interfering with tEe" taking of ova from wild fish. Although the quantity of ova deposited in the hatchery this year was Tery large, there w»re great losses sustained owing to the old-fashioned hatchery boxes, scarcity of water and consequent overcrowding. * Many of the fry hatched wera weak from the same causes, and great mortality ensued, so that only 43,000 fry were deposited in the races and 4000 liberated. Arrangements have now been made for a better supply of ' water, and two sets of more modern boxes have been placed in the hatchery, which will accommodate more ova than the whole house would before. Another method of hatching is now in preparation, by which over a million more eggs than previously can be dealt with without any overcrowding. Experiments in some new methods of transporting ova are also contemplated. __ A deer, whose antlers are most curiously shaped, almost identical to that of the rein- • deer — the eight antlers lying well back upon the shoulders, the other inclined well for- ■ ward, — was shot in the Nelson district the other day. It turned the scale at 4001b. A London telegram says that J. S. Tyers, the English swimmer, has challenged Percy Cavill for any amount to swim a mile in still water at ;the end of the season. The St. Andrew's ' Cross competition was played on Saturday on the Otago Golf Club's J links. The afternoon was exceptionally fine, and enticed a, large number of entries, the competitors numbering 1 30. The game was by holes against Colonel Bogey, wnoße score for , the round- was fixed at 96. When the cards were handed in & was found that Messrs W. C. MacGregor and R. T. Wheeler, jun., bad tied, being each 5 holes up on the Colonel, and they will require to play off to decide the winner. The following are the names of players who were not more than b down : — Mr W. C. MacGregor ... scratch su» Mr P.. T. Wheeler, jun. ... •• 5 id Mr J. MTherson 9 strokes 4 if Mr James Holmes ... 4 n 3 m Mr E. Melland 7 n 2 m Mr J. H. Hosking 10 .. _2 » Mr R. Ritchie .."; ... 9 h all square Mr H. D. Stomach ... 4 n 1 down Mr F. Leitch ... ... In 2 n Mr F. J. Stilling 3 n 3 h Mr C. W. Rattray 4 n 3 n DrShand 6 i< 3 h MrG. A. Reade 10 n N 3 n Mr A. Holmes 9 n i » Mr J. M. Ritchie 12 v 4 it Mr A. M. Howden ... scratch 5 ■} Mr A. Tapper ... ... 3 strokes 5 it Mr J. Coon. ... 9 ti 5 n MrA. H. Fisher ... ... 13 h 5 ««