ACCLIMATIZATION SOCIETY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 152, 6 November 1868, Page 3

ACCLIMATIZATION SOCIETY.

The half-yearly general meeting was held in the Literary Institute last evening, Mr C. C. Bowen presiding. The Chairman congratulated the meeting on the (successful introduction of trout ; expressed the regret of the Council at tbe loss of Mr Powell's services as Secretary, aud concluded by calling uion that gentleman to read the report, as follows : — " Gentlemen: — At the general meeting held in May last, a resolution was passed, calling upon your newly elected Council to amemi the bye- law s. In accordance with that resolution, a sub-committee cnnsis<ing of Messrs Fereday, Johnstone, Nottidge, Williams, and the Hon. -cc. was appointed by your Council. A code of rules based upon the rules of the Victorian Society was drawn up, and t he draft submitted to a speoial meeting of subscribers convened for the purpose on the 17th July. The rules being approved of were printed and bound up with the annual report. The Beventh by-law is to this effect — -'The society shall hold general meetings in the first weeks in February, May, August and November in each year, and nine members shall form a quorum ; at such meetings papers nnd other communications relating to the objectß of the society, and reports prepared by the Council, sh 11 be received, and such discussions shall be encouraged as may be of value in propagating a knowledge of acclimatization amongst the members nnd the public. &c." The present meeting wa* called in compliance with thpt by-law, and it devolves upon your Council to lay before you a reporL of their proceedings since April last. "Your Council take great pleasure in congratulating you on the successful introduction of the trout into the province. 'I he time having arrived for importing the ova from Tasmania, the Council communicated with the Tasmanian Commissioners, and Captain Thompson, of the Southern Cross, beini: about to make the voyage, volunteered to take charge of the ova. About 1000 ova were committed to his care, and although Dr Officer was inclined to think very unfavourably of the attempt, the season being far advanced, owi g to Captain Thompson's assiduous care and attention the ova arrived in excellent condition. About 500 healthy ova were deposited in the society's breeding boxes, and it affords your Council great satis-

faction to be able to state that under the careful superintendence of Mr Johnson, the Curator, ninety per cent. st least of these ova have been hatched out. The ova consisted of two batches in different stages, which hatched out at an interval of twelve days. The young fry of tho oldest batch are about six weeks old, and are looking exceedingly healthy; they are now nearly strong enough to be turned out, and a sub-committee of your Council has been appointed to confer with Mr Stoddart, and to determine on the streams and localities moat suitable to their well-being as soon aB they shall be turned out. The localities will be advertised, and your Council will rely upon the assistance of all the subscribers in preserving the waters, so as to give the young fish a fair chance to thrive and propagate. It is highly desirable that the Legislature should aid acclimatization by enactments bearing upon this point namely, the strict preservation of waters into which imported fish have been turned during such a period as may be necessary to mak? success fairly probable. The Council urgently call attention to this point. X The society's ponds have been thoroughly cleansed and freed from eels, water beetles, and other predaceous creatures. In clearing the ponds, ft wns found that some tench introduced f*'e year bt*f:>re last bave thriven and propagated fr-Vly ; muny of the young te ich have been distributed in the rivers Avon and Heathcote, and have been purchased by subscribers to turn outyf One doz-n breeding fish have been retahTSa in the ponds of >he society. " Captain Thompson brought two dozen of perch with him from Tasmania; 14 have been placed in the society's ponds, and 8 were committed to the care of MrOakden, to be turned out in the neighbourhood of Lake Coleridge.' " Two out of the three trout hatched last year which escnped have been reclaimed, and are now in a suitable piece of water in the society's gardens. Ie is possible that if they be of opposite sex -s they may breed this summer; the third fish has alao been seen by the Curator. " In concluding this notice of the efforts of the society in pisciculture, your Council feel assured that the subscribers will b.- unanimous in approving of the action taken by them in presenting Captain Thompson, of the southern Ores-, with £20, to be expended in the purchase of a piece of plate, as a testimonial to his strenuous endeavours in the cause of acclimatization ia the province of Canterbury. " r he following donations have been receive I by the society during the pact six months: — Mr F. Thomas, a Cape pigeon ; Mr E. Duppa, seed of the -outh Sea Island calabash; VlrJ Hill, two Australian curlews; Capt Benson, an antelope. VThinkinjr that it may interest the subscribers to know what has become of the last consignment cf English insectivor- us birds, the Council has taken pains to make inquiries as to what has been seen of them lately, with the following results : — The sparrows have already increased ; many of them took up their abode at the Christchurch Goods Station, and others have been «een frequently in small flocks in various parts of the town. , Some have also settled down at Kaiapoi, Woodend^ aniL Timaru^ <^The thrushes and blackbirds remained in the gardens during some months, bnt have since gradually distributed themselves about the country. Thrushes are to be heard in Riccarton Bush, also in tbe neighbourhood of the residence of Murray-Aynsley, Esq., on the Heathcote, and on the North town belt, near Mr Samuel Bealey's. A few of the blackbirds stiil remain in the gardens; the cock bird is to be seen at Riccarton Bush. The red poles and bramble finches have been -e*-n frequently within a few miles of the ; town. Very few instances of the destruction of Kng ish birds have come U> the knowledge , of the curator, while he he irs frequently of j their well-doingj " The total receipts from subscriptions and j Rules dnring the past five months amount to £101 3a 5d ; balance in hanti, June 29, £155 ' 13s 9d ; total, £259 17s 21 ; expended since June 29, £196 4s 61 ; balance in the treasurer's hands, £63 12s Bd. " Your Council beg to call attention to the circumstance that greatinsonvenieuce resulted from the fact of the financial year commencing in May, in compiling the new code of rules It was therefore deemed advisable to make the financial year commence in January. It is true that in consequence of this members will be called upon for their (subscriptions three months earlier than would otherwise have been the ense, but the Council feel confident that the members will nevertheless approve of a change so obviously beneficial. "The efforts of the Council will be devoted for some time to come to the introduction of insectivorous birds und animals ; and considering that many efforts at acclimatization fail from thewantof concentrating the energies of the socety on a single object, the Council purpose(now that fish have had a fair trial, and maj' be considered established) to devote all their powers to the importing and naturalizing of *ueh animals and birds as are useful iv the destruction of insects, more especially grass-eating grubs. " In conclusion, your Council beg to state that on no occasion has a Council meeting lapsed for want of a quorum, lhe numbers of members present at each mci ting have been 13, 13, 12, 7, 10, 9, and 10, whereas three only are necessary to form a quorum. The Council feel that so large an attendance at each meeting entitles them to the confidence of the soeiety." ( )n the motion of Mr J. C. Boys, the report was adopted. Mr Nottidge and Mr Fereday read papers on the increase of insects in Canterbury, and the necessity which exißtß for the introduction of insectivorous birds and animals. The thanks of the meeting were returned to both gentlemen. The Chairman expressed a hope that the

farmers would take the matter up, and assist the Bociety in the introduction of whatever birds and animals might b 8 considered most desirable.