The California Quail in New Zealand

The first liberation of California quail in New Zealand is stated by Thomson to have been in the province of Nelson in 1865 and this date is the one usually accepted. However, Hutton should be more reliable-being almost contemporaneous with the event-when he records that two pairs were liberated by a Mr. W. Hay at Papakura, near Auckland, in 1862. He goes on to say that "these are now in thousands and have spread for many miles." Credit for the establishment of this now-important species is due to the various acclimatization societies; but when an attempt is made to trace fully the birds' spread throughout the Dominion, one is handicapped by the lack of adequate records in the annual reports of these societies. Therefore it is not claimed that the list of liberations incorporated in the map is completethe best use possible has been made of the material existing. Had full information been available each liberation with