LAND AND WATER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2467, 26 June 1901, Page 59

LAND AND WATER.

1" The largest fish ever caught with rod and jine weighed 6001b, which was the weight f of the huge sawfish caught by the wellJknown American tarpon angler, Mr Vom JHofe, off the Florida coast. A snapshot of Ithe fish after it had been hauled in was )obtained by Mr Rowland Ward, the Piccawflly naturalist, who happened to be fishing *for tarpon in a boat not fai from that of Sir. Vom Hofe when he secured the catch. mfr Ward saw the fish hooked, and the great fight of an hour an a-half before it was got pup to the side of the boat and gaffed by a jmighty blow between the eyes with an axe. ..Tarpon-fishing is great sport. One fish of Hsslb towed its captor six miles along the 'coast before it gave in. The largest seaibass or Jew-fish ever caught with rod and Bine weighed 3841b, being caught Dy Mr 1. S3. Schenck, who secured it in the compafratively short space of 20min. Another seaIbass, weighing 3801b, was caught with rod and line by Mr T. 8. Manning, of Philadelphia, in 1899; while another fish of the Same species, weighing 3271b, was caught jwith rod and- line by Mr F. V. Rider, of [New York. A large frost fish, 4ft lOin in length, was jcaught pn the beach near the mole, Oamaru, ilast Friday morning. 1 The hippopotamus purchased last year for fche Adelaide Zoo from Mr Hagenbeck. of {Hamburg, died on Sunday from peritonitis. /The society paid £850 for the animal, whose carcase will probably go to the museum on liNorth terrace. ! News has arrived from South Africa that "(Lieutenant Hovell, of the Manchester Regi■jnent, has lately been appointed to the (mounted infantry section of his battalion. this is a compliment is evident from [Major-general Button's letter to the Premier, in which he said: "The mounted in[Santry officers, as you are aware, are the finest officers of the army." * A party of 10 guns, from Temuka, shot f1.05 hares in the neighbourhood of Raineliff. i*The day was a perfect one for shooting, and i&ares were very numerous. The best shot In the crowd accounted for 36 hares. (' The deer liberated in the Wellington district are evidently making their way to Eawke's Bay. A fine stag was seen lately on a section in the Umutaoroa, five miles jfiom Dannevirke. The animal was within Ijgrrashot -of a house, but was not fired at. f^This is the first that has been seen in the j&striet. i " The South Australian Zoological and Acclimatisation Society have purchased a zebra Etallion from Mr C. Hagenbeck. Hamburg? (The animal has left Europe for its destination.

Two excellent games of billiards were wittaessed in fie City Hotel billiard rooms 'on Tuesday evening by upwards ±)f 90 persons. On this occasion Messrs Weiss and Memmott played jtwo of Dunedin's leading amateurs. Tho ferst game took place at 8 o'clock beifcween Memmott and an amateur, the former conceding the latter 350 in a game »f 600 up. The amateur played a. very game throughout, finally winning by Jthe narrow margin of 2 point*. Memmott Splayed Borne difficult shots, which were teartily applauded, his play right through £he game being very consistent. The 500 joints were run up in exactly the hour. She second game took place, after a short interval, between Weiss and an amateur. JA.B in the former game, the professional fconceded the amateur 350 in a game of 800 up. When the score stood, amateur *48, Weiss 86. the champion put on breaks oi 95, 19, 61, 69, and 82, but failed to reach the amateur, who, playing exceedingly well. Yon the game by 85 points. The amateur's best break was 39. Mr H. Clarlje acted r" ,s marker, and Mr J. Redding looked after he comforts of the patron?. A Mastertonian picked tLe winning double lit the Auckland Grand National meeting — Kloifaa and Cosur de Lion, — and had them jbacked to win him £300.

The" telegraph wires were blocked between Westport and Auckland on the second flay of the late Auckland Steeplechase meeting — a fact which caused considerable disappointment to two Westporfc sports. Early in the forenoon they wired (" urgent ") a pound to be invested on Sundial in the Second Welter Handicap, but received information the next day that their messago did not reach its destination until after 9 p.m. When it is remembered that Sundial paid £54- 63, their sorrow can be under Stood.