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Otago Witness, Issue 3942, 1 October 1929, Page 65

The causes of the diminution of native bird life were discussed by the council of the Stratford Acclimatisation Society, when a letter was received from the Otago Society in defence of the opossum It was somewhat concerned, the Otago Society stated, at statements m the press relative to the supposed damage done by opossums in forests, some writers claiming that the eating of green shoots tended toward a decrease of native birds. Acclimatisation societies, on the other hand, stated that the chief bird enemies were stoats, rats, ferret’, wild cats, and such other vermin. With a view to obtaining evidence on the matter the association had circularised trappers asking for an expression of opinion. Seventy-four replies had been received. Of that number 55 gave opinions as to the cause of the diminution of the bird life. The stoat was mentioned in 17 letters, the ferret in 20, the cat in 18. the grey owl in 15, the rat in 8, and the hawk in 2. Thirtyeight persons had caught 218 stoats in the traps this season, and seven trappers—who gave approximate figures only—ll 3 Thirteen had caught 42 ferrets and 34 wild cats, while 18 had caught 58 rats.