TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION D. 201 



only introduced species of game-birds, but, worst of all, the 

 unique ground-birds of these Islands, such as kiwis and kaka- 

 pos. So serious has the danger become, threatening as it does 

 the extinction of these remarkable forms, that efforts are now 

 being made to secure insular areas on which these birds will be 

 strictly preserved. 



Hares have spread to a great extent in many parts, but 

 wherever phosphorus poisoning has been resorted to they tend 

 to disappear along with the rabbits. 



Australian frogs, which have spread to such an extent 

 throughout three-fourths of the Islands, are strictly limited in 

 their distribution by climatic conditions. All efforts to accli- 

 matise them in southern Otago have failed, no doubt owing to 

 the absence of a long enough warm period in summer. The 

 adult frogs seem unable to survive the winter, and do not 

 reproduce at all. 



Of the numerous species of birds which have been intro- 

 duced, game-birds such as the pheasant, partridge, and Cali- 

 fornian quail formerly spread to a great and satisfactory ex- 

 tent, but the introduction of phosphorus poisoning has nearly 

 exterminated them in many parts. 



The most remarkable success in bird -naturalisation has 

 been in the case of the starling, which is now found in myriads, 

 and the value of which to the agriculturist must be incalcul- 

 able. The sparrow, green-linnet, and — to a less degree — the 

 skylark, chaffinch, and hedge-sparrow, are abundant, and, in 

 spite of phosphorus, strychnine, and rewards for heads and eggs, 

 continue to increase and to render the farmer's life a burden to 

 him. It must be granted, however, that the evil that the first 

 two in particular do is very conspicuous, while the enormous 

 amount of good they accomplish is not visible, and hence is 

 usually ignored. Blackbirds and thrushes have increased to 

 an enormous extent in many parts, and, while rendering the 

 groves melodious with song, seriously injure the gardener by 

 eating his small fruit. The goldfinch is another bird which 

 has become extremely common. 



The success which has attended the introduction of the 

 trout into New Zealand waters is almost equalled by the rapid 

 increase of golden carp in the North Island. The phenomenal 

 rapidity of growth which characterized the trout first turned 

 out, when the food-supply of the streams w'as untouched, has 

 not since been sustained, except in the South Island lakes. It 

 has also been found necessary to restock the streams artificially 

 in order to keep up a steady supply of medium-sized fish. 

 The perch is another fish which has made rapid increase in 

 suitable waters. 



The common hive-bee, since its first introduction into the 

 colony, has frequently become wild, swarms being continually 



