20 HARDY ON PROVINCIAL ACCLIMATIZATION. 



river fish, successfully brought over the great intervening wastes of 

 ocean by unremitting care, and including that great desideratum of 

 these enterprising naturalists, the noble salmon, which, however, is 

 expected to thrive and multiply to a far more remunerative extent 

 in the bright cool streams of Tasmania, than in the sluggish rivers 

 of the Australian continent ; and lastly, a cheerful notice of the 

 hosts of the common field birds of Old England, now spreading 

 rapidly through the colony by natural means, enlivening the neigh- 

 borhood of the towns, and doing infinite good to the agriculturists, 

 by attacking the hosts of caterpillars and other insect pests which 

 there prove so destructive to the crops. 



As may be supposed, such extended operations could scarcely 

 have been performed without greater assistance than that afforded 

 by even a large assemblage of private subscribers. Indeed, though 

 these have liberally contributed, the Melbourne government, recog- 

 nizing the vast importance of these efforts to the future prospects of 

 the country, have voted munificent sums to their furtherance. It is 

 stated, that up to the date of the Report no less than £20,000 has 

 been advanced by the government. Foreign Societies of a similar 

 nature, seeing the zeal of the colonists and the aptitude and neces- 

 sities of the country, have forwarded many new creatures ; — indeed, 

 the .Report states, that a French man-of-war was at that time 

 engaged in bringing the Society specimens of the yak, the ostrich, 

 and other animals. 



There are besides. Societies on the model of that of Victoria, in 

 Sydney, Hobart Town, Adelaide, Brisbane, Auckland, Lyttleton, 

 and Dunedin. So that it may be presumed that in a quarter of a 

 century the strange and sparse fauna of these vast antipodal pos- 

 sessions, will be supplanted by all those beautiful forms of animal life 

 which are so essential to the prosperity and happiness of man in his 

 highest state of civilization, affording variety in food, gratification 

 to the eye, and excitement and health in the chase. 



Such then are some of the most important statistics of Acclim- 

 atization. That our mother country regards its advantages as far 

 from uncertain or insignificant, may be seen in the fact of her 

 having placed Her Majesty's ships at the disposal of the colonies 

 for transport of specimens. Doubtless the introduction of a new 

 creature in such numbers as to become eventually a common deni- 



