34 THE ANIMALS OF NEW ZEALAND 



before 1870, but only at Cheviot did they succeed at tirst. 

 After an interval of ten or twenty years, however, they spread 

 everywhere. The hedge-sparrow is naturalised in both 

 Canterbury and Otago, and has largely increased in numbers 

 near Christchurch. 



The acclimatisation of deer has been very successful, and a 

 considerable amount of stalking is done in both the North 

 Island and the South. The moose has been let loose on the 

 West Coast of the South Island, and proposals have been made 

 to introduce more big game. The ibex and the thar are also 

 looked upon as likely beasts for the mountainous regions of 

 the South Island ; several of the latter have been introduced by 

 the Tourist Department, and have been liberated in the Mount 

 Cook district, in the South Island. The General Government 

 is assisting the Acclimatisation Societies in this direction. It 

 is hoped that the presence of big game will induce sportsmen 

 from other parts of the world to visit the dominion, and will add 

 to its attractions. 



On the whole, the results of acclimatisation in New Zealand 

 must be considered favourable, although unfortunate mistakes 

 have been made. Among these the most marked is the 

 introduction of rabbits, about which little need be said, as the 

 disastrous effect of their presence is too well known, and of 

 ferrets, stoats, and weasels. 



It is with regret that we have to pass by the scientific side 

 of this subject. Naturalists in all parts of the world would 

 read with keen interest a detailed account of how each kind 

 of animal behaved when it was first turned out here. They 

 would like to kno^v how it adapted itself to its new conditions, 

 or why it failed to do so and perished. Why did the chaffinch 

 succeed at once in all the provinces, while the linnet, so far as 

 is known, failed in all? AVhy has the goldfinch become 

 ubiquitous, and, together with the blackbird, spread unassisted 

 to the Auckland Islands, while other English birds are confined 

 to small districts? It would be extremely interesting to explain 

 these things. Such explanation as is possible, however, must 

 be left to enthusiastic field naturalists, who are willing to 



