ACCLIMATISATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 22, 23 May 1912, Page 5

ACCLIMATISATION.

STRATFORD SOCIETY'S ANNUAL

MEETING

Tho animal meeting of the Stratford Acclimatisation Society was held last evening in the Borough Council Chambers. Present: The President (Mr. W. P. Kirkwood), and Messrs. W. J. Morrison, E. B. Walsh, Ci. D. Hunter, E. B. Stohr, H. Campbell, L. Riera, C. Seabright, Dr. Steven, and Mr. C. *.l>. Sole (secretary). In moving the adoption of • the report and balance-sheet, the President said that members wojflld see that their finances were just about the same as last year. The number of shooting licenses was approximately about one hundred, and last year it was one hundred and fifty. The latter was, however, a record season. The past year had been a bad breeding season, possibly one of the worst they had ever bad. Pheasants were none too plentiful, although quail wero reported to be fairly numerous, perhaps as numerous as in past seasons. With regard to the fishing, they had liberated recently 50.000 rainbow trout, nine months old. They were very sturdy fish, and well grown. They were expecting good results from them. Ho considered that it would be found better to liberate five thousand well-grown fish, than twenty or thirty thousand fry. Next season, however, they did not intend to liberate rainbow fry, but were going in for Loch Loven, and brown trout. He quoted an extract from a London periodical, which, he considered, .threw some light possibly on the fact that the rainbow had not done here as well as they might do. "Experience, which has now been sufficiently tested to make it worthy of trust," the extract said, "shows that there is hardly any water in which rainbow trout will not thrive, if given plenty of food, provided that they cannot escape from it. But this is an important proviso, and it is almost an imperative one. It is important because its effect is virtually to preclude the successful introduction of the rainbow into any waters from which there is an outlet that is not carefully screened with a grating. If the rainbow can get away, they will. They show more of a tendency to go down wit-h the stream than up against it; but if they cannot get down they will go up, probably in an instinctive search for a connecting stream which will enable them to go down more effectively. They are very voracious fish, and it is probable that the search for food is the motive of their wandering. It is likely, too, that the temperature of the water affects them a good deal. Their native waters, on tho North American Continent, are large, well supplied with food, and deep. The only possible exceptions to thq rule that rainbows in this country will oscape,, if the chance be given them, from the waters into which they are introduced, are the cases in which those waters are very rich in their food supply, and give them some considerable depths into which they can retire when the sun, has heated the surface., But a general rule, as it seems,; may be laid down that whereas Taihbow are the' very best kind of trout that can be. put into a water fromi which they have no way. of escape',, it is quite useless to, put them jnfco waters from which they can find sjn, exit.'' '.. . ~' | , • r Mr, W. ,J\ .Morrison seconded the motion, He was. surprised that the Society bad only spent some £7 odd pounds in the purchasing 'of hawks' feet, and considered that the hawk was their greatest enemy. It was no Use liberating a, fifty-shilling brace of pheasants, when a sixpenny hawk would settle them. He was thoroughly in accord with the remarks made by the Chairman, and hoped that the I|Och Leven trout would prove a success. The number of fishing licenses taken out, was a very fair indication of the quality ."of the sport obtainable. " jThe Chairman here mentioned that iihere ; were, one hundred pheasants ready" to, be liberated—when the sportsmen have finished for the seasoil;, '

' 'Officers for the ensuing year wore fleeted as follows:—President, Mr \V. P. Kirkwood; vice-President, Mr. A. W- Budge; council, Messrs. J. R. L. Stanford, F. Dunlop, G. 1). Hunter, L Riera, Hugh Campbell, E. B. Stohr, and W. R. Davis; country council, Messrs. Hugh McLood, L. R. Smith, and C. Oliphant.