Part I 



INTRODUCTION 

 AND HISTORICAL RECORD 



Chapter I 



INTRODUCTION 



I HE naturalisation of animals and plants in any country is a most 

 interesting and fascinating subject, as well as being one of very great 

 and far-reaching importance. In the present work I have endeavoured 

 to state what is known of the subject, as far as it relates to New Zealand. 

 I have stated the facts regarding the first introduction of every species 

 into the country, as far as these can be ascertained, and its subsequent 

 success or failure in establishing itself. 



In gathering the information required and working out the material, 

 it was soon evident to me that the subject was unique. It had never 

 been attempted before as far as I am aware for any country. 

 Indeed it was seen that New Zealand was the only country in which 

 such a bit of history could be attempted with any prospect of success. 

 The islands forming the group lie isolated at a great distance (over 

 a thousand miles) from any other extensive land area. We possess 

 a fairly accurate record of what was here when Europeans first visited 

 these shores, and we have been able to follow the later introductions 

 of new species with a certain measure of success. The missing records 

 and the blank pages are very numerous, but they do not vitiate the 

 general accuracy of these statements. 



I first approached this subject from the point of view of natural 

 selection and (in Chap, xm) have given an outline of the reasons 

 which led me to investigate this question. But while the biological 

 question of the origin of species was the raison d'etre of this work, 

 there are other aspects of the study which are of importance. 



Thus the generation of people now growing up in this country 

 is living under conditions which are largely different from those 

 which prevailed when the first settlers colonised the islands. The 

 surroundings at present are partly determined by the primitive condi- 

 tions, and partly by the introduction of many new animals and 



