35 
mal, finding his new surroundings to his liking, has increased to 
such an extent as to become one of the most serious pests that Aus- 
tralia has yet seen and, in conjunction with the domestic cat returned 
to a state of savagery, has rendered the successful rearing of ground 
game almost an impossibility as well as destroying in very large 
numbers our rare and beant.il id smaller fauna. To come to our own 
State, acclimatisation work may be looked upon as a plant of quite 
i ecent growth, and while at first the soil in which it grew was en- 
riched by the attentions of those in power in granting moderately 
generous amounts to tins most national and useful of objects, at the 
present day, when, to continue the analogy, our plant has blossomed 
and begun to bear fruit, its sustenance is curtailed to such an extent 
as to threaten its very life. Surely an instance, even if a small one, 
of faulty husbandry. 
In Western Australia the principal efforts of those controlling 
the work have been directed towards the acclimatisation of fresh” 
water fish in our rivers, lakes and other available waters, and in this, 
with the experience gained through initial mistakes, a fair amount 
of success has been attained. To-day, in nearly every river and 
stream in our Southern districts, English perch may be found, and 
m some places the fishing will compare very favourably both for 
quantity and quality with any part of Australia. This* fish seems 
admirably adapted for life in our waters, accommodating itself, ap- 
parently, without difficulty to the many changes and chances of tem- 
peratures and salinities met with in different localities. Perch have 
been taken up to seven lbs. in weight, and in the waters which have 
been stocked for the longer periods fish of four pounds and over 
are not infrequent. With the increase in size, an improvement in 
edible qualities is associated; an occurrence which is somewhat un- 
usual. On the whole, the English perch has been found to be easily 
the most suitable and adaptable fish for our freshwater areas. 
During last year 1,000 fish, in 100 different consignments, were 
sent to parts of the State as far apart as Sandstone in the North, 
to Man jim up m the South. These fish are delivered free of all 
charge at the nearest railway station or siding to the home of any 
settler who is willing to take charge of them, release them in the 
waters m which they are to live, and return the cans in which they 
haye made their journey to the station for carriage to tin depot at 
m ow s ell. ^ 1 he distribution of fish alone necessitates, in ad- 
dition to the provision of the fish which are caught, caged (to ensure 
their better travelling) placed in the cans and taken to the station 
at ( ndlows TV ell, a large amount of inspectorial and clerical work 
the former to ascertain whether the waters for which fish are re- 
quired are suitable as regards size, depth, temperature, salinity, food 
supply, etc., and the latter m answering letters of application mak- 
mg arrangements for inspections, giving notification to consignees 
o the despatch of fish and other numerous directions. All this in- 
