Author: Geo; M. Thomson

Publisher: Forgotten Books

Published: 2015-06-25

Total Pages: 623

ISBN-13: 9781330358429

Excerpt from The Naturalisation of Animals Plants in New Zealand A historical account of the introduced animals and plants of New Zealand has long been a felt want in this country. Changes had been going on for the last century and a half, but records and references to these changes were much scattered, and it was very difficult for many persons interested in the natural history of the country to acquire any exact knowledge of the subject. This has been one of the reasons which induced me to accumulate the facts recorded here. The work has led me into a very large correspondence, but I have been gratified by the interest manifested by those appealed to, and by their readiness to assist me. The whole question of naturalisation appeals to most intelligent persons, and my efforts to elicit information have been most pleasantly received, and readily seconded on all sides. To secure accuracy as far as possible, especially in connection with those groups of animals and plants with which my acquaintance was very imperfect, I sought and most ungrudgingly received the cooperation of local specialists, and I desire here to acknowledge my deep debt of gratitude to these gentlemen, who have checked my lists and supplied me with many of the facts recorded. They include the late Major Broun of Auckland who went over the Coleoptera; Messrs G. V. Hudson of Wellington, A. Philpott of Invercargill, G. Howes of Dunedin, and D. Miller, Government Entomologist, who dealt with Insecta generally, and the last-named especially with the Diptera; Mr G. Brittin, late of Christchurch, the Coccidae; Dr Reakes, Director of Agriculture, the Trematode, Cestode and Nematode parasites of our imported animals; and Professor Benham, F.R.S., of Otago University, the Oligochaetes. These gentlemen have also given me much valuable general information. Invaluable assistance has been afforded me in regard both to introduced animals and plants by Mr T. F. Cheeseman of Auckland; by Mr W. W. Smith of New Plymouth, whose experience as a field naturalist is second to none in the Dominion; by Mr B. C. Aston, chemist of the Agricultural Department, who also is a most observant naturalist; by Dr F. Hilgendorf, of Lincoln Agricultural College; by Dr C. Chilton, Rector of Canterbury College, Christchurch; and by Mr A. Cockayne, Biologist of the Agricultural Department. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.