MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES. 235 



he never knew the ferrets to keep down the rabbits in England. He 

 had himself protested against ferrets being turned out on the far side of 

 Lake Manaponri, but after one shipment had by a timely accident been 

 drowned, another shipment was sent. 



Sir Walter Buller deplored very much tlie insane conduct of the 

 Government in introducing stoats and weasels ; but there was, he 

 thought, a danger of exaggerating the mischief done by these animals. 

 They were apt to put everything down to the stoats and weasels, but he 

 thought there were other causes in operation, for many New Zealand 

 species had commenced to disappear long before the introduction of 

 stoats and weasels. He instanced the kakapo and other birds in the 

 North Island, for which a refuge was found on the Great Barrier and 

 Little Barrier Islands. The introduction of weasels and stoats had 

 tended to accelerate the destruction of the birds, but the kiwi and 

 kakapo were very scarce long before. Fifteen years ago these birds 

 were exported by hundreds, and that tended to considerably thin their 

 numbers. His argument was that there were other causes in operation 

 beyond that suggested. He had thought the thing out very carefully, 

 and the conclusion he had come to was that the introduced rat was the 

 cause of the mischief. They all knew how prolific the rat was — some 

 parts of the colony were overrun with it — and it was significant that 

 birds that deposited their eggs on the ground, and were an easy prey to 

 rats, were the first to disappear. This cause, he pointed out, had been 

 in operation ever since the colonisation of these islands. Take the 

 quail, for example, they could not blame the stoats and weasels for the 

 destruction of that bird, for it was extinct before the introduction of 

 those animals, and there was not one to be found now — the last quail 

 that was sold in Italy brought £75. He referred also to the early 

 disappearance of the swamphen, woodhen, and thrush. The remedy was 

 the establishment of preserves, and it was necessary to have insulated 

 areas for these. Experience showed that expiring species always lasted 

 longest on islands, and we ought to draw a lesson from experience and 

 place the native birds on islands. He thought the idea to utilise 

 Stewart's Island an excellent one, but they must get it proclaimed and 

 have heavy penalties imposed for trespass and spoliation. Sir George 

 Grey was the first to take any steps towards the preservation of native 

 birds, and when he purchased the Island of Kawau he proceeded to 

 stock it with kiwis, kakapos, and other birds, all of which had lived— 

 indeed the weka became a positive nuisance. The speaker thought 

 they ought to insist upon an absolutely close preserve for the use of the 

 future generation. Lord Onslow was thoroughly alive to the impor- 

 tance of the matter, and if the societies co-operated In; believe 1 they 

 might confidently appeal to his Excellency, and something might be 

 •done. Unless something was done to arrest the loss of these species 

 before this generation had passed away not on" of the native birds 

 would be left, and it would be a reproach to them that it should be so. 



PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE OF CANTERBURY. 



Christchurch, August 6th, 1891. -Prof. F. \V. Hutton, F.G.S., 

 President, in the chair. 



