ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2416, 28 June 1900, Page 44

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

The usual meeting of the council of the Acclimatisation Society, held on Friday afternoon, was attended by Mr A. C. Begg (in the chair), Dr De Lautour, Messrs R. Forrest, J. Edgar, A. E. Farquhar, J. Roberts, C. R. D. Richardson, A. M. Loasby, F. Deans, and D. Russell (secretary). The following report by the manager (Mr F. Deans) was adopted: — The ova harvest has commenced, and we have been particularly busy amongst the stock fish at the Clinton hatchery. Mr Morris, who has held the position of curator there for the past 18 months, having resigned, Mr A. M'Kenzie has been appointed to fill the vacancy pro tern. During the month I have been a good deal at the hatchery with Mr M'Kenzio, and I find he ■will soon pick up all that is necessary to leain about" the establishment. He is also very har-dy with tools, a qualification indispensable about such a place, and apparently he has in Mr D. Cameron a very willing and trustworthy assistant. As the place is considerably out of repair, it will take Mr M'Kenzie some time to overtake the work. He has already made great improvements. We overhauled all the stdfck fish' with the exception of the rainbow trout, as they come in later on. The following are the numbers of ova obtained: — Salmon, 25,000; Scotch burn, 107,000; Loch Leven, 120,000, brook trout, 21,000. At Opoho the fish are doing well, and with the exception of the Scotch burn fry, are glowing fast, but the late severe cold has been keeping them back. On account of the long spell of dry weather the streams are nearly at their summer level. Some asphalting has been done about the house, which has greatly improved the place, and the hedge at the entrance has been cut down 18in. With reference to the birds in the Botanical Gardens, Mr M'Bean has just reported that he found one of the kiwi's dead. This might naturally be expected, as the contrast between their native haunts in the dense bush on the West Coast, and the limited enclosure in which they are confined on that cold flat in the Botanical Gardens must be very great, more especially during such weather as we have had lately. The robin red breast has not been seen for some time, and it is feared it has succumbed to its close confinement.

The wild grey ducks visit the Gardens in such numbers, and feed on the food that is laid clown for the others, that they must, to a great extent, rob the rightful owners of their morning meal. The Secretary reported the result of the prosecutions in the trout-netting eases at Milton. A reward of £2 2s was voted to Mr Hassell, the ranger, for securing ,the convictions. _ It was agreed to co-operate with the Wellington Society in requesting the Government to fix a uniform date for taking both native and imported game, and the fixing of such date by statute. ' It was agreed to supply ova to a Victorian society which, applied for' it.