WANTON DESTRUCTION OF GAME TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2429, 3 October 1900, Page 51

WANTON DESTRUCTION OF GAME TO THE EDITOR.

Sib, — If the Acclimatisation Society has power to do so, it is high time that step? are taken to prevent persons from burning the raupo growing round the shores of Lakes Waihola and Waipori. It is now the breeding season for swans, pukakis, ducks, and geese, and thousands of nests are built in the raupo, which affords such splendid cover for them. The " close season " on the lakes was strictly observed during the shooting season ; at any rate, oi\ this side of Lake Waipori, and it is therefore vexing to see thousands of eggs — and birds also — being roasted in a few hours ; and this by people who have no right or title to interfere with the raupo, it being Crown property. Prompt action is needed, else the result of the close season will not be preservation and multiplication, but extinction. — I am, etc., BEBWICK. Septembci 27. ESL SPAWN. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — In a recent issue of the Witness I read a paragraph in Land and Water taken from a Wyndhnrn paper about a Mr Hamill finding eel spawn on the hinb of a tree submerged in a lagoon. Now, whatever Mr H. found, it was certainly not eel spawn, for the simple reason that eels never spawn, but produce their young alive and fully developed. Although natural history is silent on this subject, any intelligent Maori can give the information, and the month the young eels are to be found enclosed in the sound or float gland. I think the time is the latter end of January and February. There is also an ancient Gaelic saying to the same efiect: La feile breige ha n vile easgan torracli. I spell this as pronounced. I wrote on this subject some yeais ago, and sent thp float with the young plainly visible to a gentleman in Dublin who was well versed in piscatorial matters, but, unfortunately, I took no precaution to preserve it, and the lot got dried into powder, and was, on arrival, quite past recognition. I stated also that I never found more than four young eels at once. He lcplied that lie could believe it if it was 4000 instead of four. However, from recent inquiries from Natives, they say they only produce two or four at a time, and only once in the year; and during tho winter months they are in a torpid state and always buried m mud, and are not so prolific a 3 is commonly believed. — I am, etc., D. F&ASER.

Fortrose, September 20.