Introduced Animals.] SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND. 599 



for considerable numbers are now found there. The cattle landed on different oc- 

 casions have, in company with the goats and sheep, died off from Antipodes Island. 

 One consignment was said to have been killed — of course, legitimately — by the 

 survivors of the French ship " President Felix Faure," the animals providing wel- 

 come food. 



SHEEP. 



Sheep are run on Campbell Island, and their presence must have a marked effect 

 on the native vegetation. This aspect of the question has been investigated by 

 Dr. Cockayne and by Mr. Laing, who make some interesting deductions therefrom. 



Sheep were also introduced at different times to islands of the Auckland Group, 

 but the conditions proved unsuitable, or they were killed off by seal-poachers, for 

 none are known to exist in the Aucklands to-day. 



From 1887 to 1904 sheep have been landed at Antipodes Island on the periodic 

 visits of the Government steamers, but they do not appear to thrive, and die off in 

 a short time. 



GOATS. 



Dr. Cockayne considers that goats, of all animals introduced by man, are the 

 most destructive to vegetation. They were introduced on the Snares in 1900, but 

 none are now known there. From 1850 onw^ard, various consignments of goats have 

 been placed on the Auckland Islands, at Bnderby and Ewing Islands. In 1903 

 these animals were reported to be numerous on Ocean Island. 



I am not aware if the goats placed on Campbell Island in 1890, or their progeny, 

 are still in existence. On their half-yearly visits the Government steamers carry 

 goats, among other animals, to the Antipodes, but Captain Bollons, of the " Hine- 

 moa," says they soon die off. 



SWINE. 



The domestic pig runs wild on the Auckland Islands, having been introduced 

 in 1807, more than a century ago ; and when one has witnessed the fearlessness of 

 so many different kinds of ground-haunting birds it is eas}^ to comprehend how the 

 introduction of an omnivorous animal may be an important factor in their exter- 

 mination. There can be small doubt that the introduction of pigs to the Auckland 

 Islands has already resulted in considerable havoc among the ground-nesting birds, 

 by destroying both eggs and young. 



Traces of pigs were very plentiful, not only their spoor but their rootings also 

 being abundantly apparent. Native plants are also suffering, for we found whole 

 patches turned over, Bulbmella and Pleurophyllum evidently being favourites. 



On several occasions we came across the pigs themselves, but they were very 

 wild, and were approached with difficulty. Of four seen on one occasion, one was 

 black, two white, and one pied. One of them was shot, and proved to be a lean, 

 long-legged, and long-snouted animal, apparently reverting to the characteristics 

 of a wild type. 



Pigs were also introduced at different periods on some of the smaller islets of the 

 Auckland Group, and I understand that their offspring are thriving on^Enderby 

 Island. Captain Norman, who introduced pigs to the Auckland Islands in 1865, 

 also placed a few on Campbell Island, but the latter appear to have died off. 



