LAND AND WATER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 26

LAND AND WATER.

Some heavy hauls of fish were obtained at Akaroa Heads last week (says the Lyttelton Times), three boats landing over 100 large fish on one tide. A Maori fisherman named Hokiangi got over 600 barracouta, which he has cured for the winter. He also delivered 84- hapuka and 19 dozen barracoula to tho local canning factory, clearing £6 15b ior two days' fishing. Crayfish are now beginning to run, and tho local boats are fitting out, expecting a bury season. My Ayson, tho. curator of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, wa3 present at a meeting of the council of the society held on Friday night, and gave members some valuable information as to the importation of game from America, embodying the. result of inquiries made during his recent vi»it to the States. Ho has practically put the society in a position of being able to obtain supplies of game birds with very* little trouble and at comparatively low co.->t, and it will probably avail itself of the opportunity. The American Department of Agriculture has lately conducted experiments as to tho destructive habits of gamo birds in agricultural districts, by having numbers of birds killed and their crops examined. Tables have been made out based on thepe experiments, s.ncl also a report embodying the results. This infoimation the Wellington Society has secured, and it will be guided by it in all future importations of gamo birds from America, so that tho agricultural interests of tho colony may not be injured in any way. No fuither importations can bo mado boforo November, as it is now the close season, but tho present council of the society has recommended its successors in office to devote every attention to the importation of suitable,,birds from America. "

A few days ago, some new caves were discovered in the Ikirragorang district, New South "Wal&Sj on the Kowmong River. A small opening was observed in a vast reef of limestone, which can be traced for miles, towering hundreds of feet high. Entrance was effected, and the party discovered a cave of surpassing beauty, exceeding thoso yet discovered in grandeur and anagnificenee, if not in magnitude, and described as truly wonderful. The cave was named by the explorers " The Onslow," in honouu of a popular local family. Mount Colong, where tho caves exist, is a distance of under 50 miles from Camden (nearest route), and there are good roads for the greater part of the distance, A buck deer arrived here by the s.s. Ruahiue on Friday. The animal, which is in splendid condition, cast his horns on tho voyage out. He is very tame, and should lx> a valuable addition to the herds already in the colony. Between 70 and 80 deers' bends have been secured by stalkers in the Wairarapa district this season, some of them exceedingly fine ones. Mr John Ross, the well-known Martinborough sportsman, has . himself secured 16 heads, one carrying antlers of 16 tines, and another of 33. The harvest of the local fishermen (says the North Otago Times) lias commenced. Tho sprats, which have been off tho coast for the past five or six weeks, came into tho harbour in shoals yesterday, and the fishermen extensively levied toll on them. Most of the fish are sent away to Ghristchurch and Dunedin.