114 BIRDS 



Thus in the South Island, and in those parts of the North Island 

 where rabbits abounded, the history of the naturalisation of the 

 pheasant seemed to be that at first the birds increased rapidly and 

 became very common, then their increase stopped, their numbers 

 decreased and finally in 25 years they were all but exterminated. 



In the North Island, in those parts where there were no rabbits, 

 pheasants still continued to be fairly common, but were not nearly 

 so abundant as in the earlier years. For example in Taranaki the 

 report of the local society for 1874 is "pheasants plentiful in the 

 Province." In succeeding years they were largely destroyed, and then 

 breeding and liberating of young birds was resorted to. In 1908 the 

 Chairman (Mr W. L. Newman) at the annual meeting said "he did 

 not think they had a pheasant left." 



After a time, most of the societies, undeterred by past failures, 

 and without any proper examination into the causes of the failures, 

 renewed their efforts to stock the country with these birds. 



In 1895 the Otago Society obtained seven hens and two cocks 

 from Auckland, and liberated them between Lake Waihola and the 

 coast. Shortly after one was picked up dead, and its crop was found 

 to be full of phosphorised oats. In 1897, 22 birds (out of 32 shipped) 

 were received from London, and appear to have been kept for breed- 

 ing purposes either at the Milton poultry farm or at the Clinton 

 hatchery. The Society was led to recommence stocking with these 

 birds because "it seems that the trapping of rabbits for export is 

 now carried on to such an extent that much less poison will be laid in 

 future, and if the hawks were reduced in numbers, game birds may 

 increase in our district." It was also recommended that a bonus be 

 offered for the rearing of young pheasants, and in this way "45 strong 

 young birds were secured and liberated." In 1899 another lot of 21 

 birds was received from England, and was kept for breeding pur- 

 poses, while over 80 were bred locally and turned out. Yet in 1904 

 the report is : "An odd old bird is to be seen at times, but no young." 

 Still more recently the attempt is again being carried on, and in the 

 report for 19 14-15 we read "the birds liberated during the past two 

 seasons have been seen occasionally and are apparently thriving." 

 In the report for 1919 it is stated that "Pheasants Uberated four years 

 ago have not been reported about for some time." 



The Southland Society has made very strenuous efforts to stock 

 Stewart Island, where the rabbits have died out, there is no poisoning 

 done, and neither ferrets, stoats nor weasels occur. Five pheasants 

 were liberated in 1869, 16 in 1895, 48 in 1901, 37 in 1902, 36 in 1904, 

 16 in 1907, 105 in 1909 and 47 in 1910. No doubt some of these 

 survived and may have bred, but Mr Walter Traill — a skilled observer 



