i66 BIRDS 



report for 1871 states that they are "thoroughly established and 

 need no further importations^" 



The Auckland Society in 1864 also gave a list of the prices offered 

 by the Auckland Provincial Government to immigrants bringing out 

 various birds, per pair, cock and hen. 



This Society liberated 47 sparrov^s in 1867, and in the aimual report 

 for 1868, "consider them thoroughly acclimatised." 



I am indebted to Mr E. D'Esterre, Editor of the Auckland Weekly 

 News, for unravelling some ancient history regarding the introduction 

 of the sparrow into Auckland. In reply to a representative of the 

 Auckland Star, Mr T. F. Cheeseman is reported to have said: 



Sparrows were not introduced by the Acclimatisation Society, although 

 that body is credited with having brought them here. I can speak with 

 certainty on that point, because I was here before the small birds were 

 introduced. It was the late Mr S. Morrin and Mr T. B. Hill who introduced 

 the first lot of sparrows and distributed them. 



Mr D'Esterre saw Mr Cheeseman later (June, 1916) and was informed 

 that Mr T. B. Hill, who came out in the 'Morning Star' in 1861, 

 resided at Auckland, and that he brought out the sparrows either for 

 or in conjunction with Mr Sam Morrin^ He then wrote to a corre- 

 spondent of his, a Mr P. T. Hill, also resident at Raglan, to find out 

 his namesake if possible. This gentleman, who disapproves very 

 strongly of the sparrow, sent a cutting from the Raglan County 

 Chronicle of 8th July, 1915, with a report of a Farmers' Union 

 Meeting at which the question of poisoning small birds came up. 

 "Mr Taylor said by getting rid of the small birds insect pests would 

 be increased, and would probably be a far worse trouble than the birds. 

 The President thought it was an unwise thing to disturb the balance 

 of Nature. Mr T. B. Hill agreed that it was best to leave the birds 

 alone. He had introduced sparrows and sold them at 10s. each in 

 Auckland." Eventually Mr D'Esterre got into communication with 



^ The late Mr Bills used to narrate how he trapped the sparrows for the Canter- 

 bury Society with large folding nets in the streets of London in the early mornings, 

 and how the Londoners were surprised that any country should want such birds. 

 He explained that the caterpillars in New Zealand were so numerous and large, 

 that the farmers had to dig trenches round their houses to trap and bury the voracious 

 creatures, lest after eating up all the crops, they should turn to and eat up the 

 farmers themselves. Mr Bills' statement can be taken cum grano salis. 



