70 MAMMALIA 



Mayer, of Otiamuri, was driving along the edge of the plains with his 

 wife, a mob of five or six wild dogs rushed them and jumped at the 

 horses' heads. On another occasion, a young Maori came from a 

 neighbouring pa to see him. In a short time he returned with a 

 terrified look on his face, and stated that a pack of wild dogs were 

 attacking a large calf. Mr Hall, taking his gun, went to the scene, 

 and was just in time to drive the dogs off and save the calf. When 

 travelling over the plains with domestic dogs, Mr Hall noticed that 

 the latter can scent the wild dogs miles off. As soon as they receive 

 the scent, they stand and watch, and their hair becomes bristly 

 almost at once. 



My son, G. Stuart Thomson, informs me that wild dogs were at 

 one time so common in Marlborough, and did so much damage on 

 the sheep runs, that packs of hunting dogs were kept and bred for 

 the special purpose of running them down. ,5 per head used to be 

 paid for wild dogs. 



Mr Elsdon Best wrote that in 1877, the Rev. W. Colenso said in 

 regard to Maori dog-skin garments: "Many a dog-skin mat has he 

 made within the past fifty years of the skins of dogs of the small 

 mongrel breed, before European clothing became common among 

 the Natives." 



As settlement proceeded and the country became opened up, 

 wild dogs were gradually exterminated. The only ones which are 

 now met with are curs which have managed to escape from their 

 owners and have taken to rabbit- or to sheep-killing. 



Bellingshausen reported wild dogs on the Macquaries in 1820, but 

 it is improbable that they long survived the sealers, who probably 

 originally brought them. As soon as the killing of seals and sea- 

 birds stopped, the dogs probably died out. Captain Musgrave, who 

 was wrecked on the Auckland Island in 1864, discovered wild dogs 

 like sheep dogs on the island. 



Family MUSTELID^E 



*Ferret ; Polecat (Putorius foetidus) . * Stoat ; Ermine (Putorius erminea) . 

 *Weasel (Putorius vulgaris) 



Nothing in connection with the naturalisation of wild animals into 

 New Zealand has caused so much heart-burning and controversy as 

 the introduction of these bloodthirsty creatures. 



The Canterbury Society introduced five ferrets in 1867, and an 

 additional one in 1868. They were apparently not liberated, though 

 the progeny was probably sold to private individuals. In 1873 the 



