April, 1 Gabriel, Mution-hirds vnd Penguins, Phillip I. 179 



about 15th October, 1918. Hundreds of birds were seen 

 lying about dead near the burrows. The foxes catch them as 

 they go out in the morning. On one track of about ten yards 

 six: birds were found which had just been killed. Few birds 

 were eaten, the. majority being just pinched at the neck for 

 the purpose of sucking the blood. One day his dog started 

 a fox near his house, which is about four miles from the nearest 

 rookery, when it dropped a Mutton-bird. When examined the 

 bite on the neck of the bird was readily seen." Mr. Smith 

 further stated that the birds carried away from the rookeries 

 are for food for the young foxes. 



Mr. G. P. Dixon, Murray's Rookery, and Mr. W. M'Phee, 

 Cowes, both verified these statements, and it was by the latter 

 that the matter was brought under my son's notice. At Mr. 

 M'Phee's invitation he made a visit to Smith's Beach Rookery. 

 Here, to his sorrow, he found abundant evidence of the 

 destruction going on. In ten minutes sixty-five birds were 

 picked up, in all stages of decomposition, and in the case of 

 the fresh birds with the bite on the head distinctly showing. 



The photographs on the table, taken by him, will give some 

 idea of the slaughter taking place. The same conditions prevail 

 at the following rookeries, viz. : — Cape Woolamai, The Nobbies, 

 Swan Lake, Murray's, and Forrest's. 



I now appeal to the sympathy of my fellow-members. We 

 are faced with the fact that an extremely interesting bird is 

 being destroyed in large numbers, which may lead even to its 

 extermination on the island, where its presence has hitherto 

 been a source of great enjoyment and interest to large numbers 

 of visitors, while the residents in all quarters are deeply 

 concerned at the presence of the foxes. 



" Man is a peculiar animal," says Josh Billings. " He eats 

 everything that flies, runs, walks, swims, creeps, wags, or 

 wriggles, and then wonders what is the matter with himself." 

 He has another peculiarity. Wherever he goes he carries one 

 or more plagues with him, eventually to cause himself worry ; 

 and the fox, you will agree with me, is the greatest plague of 

 all, for he robs while you are asleep or awake, and kills far 

 more than he ever eats. 



Now, can we not, as a Club, do something to lessen this 

 destruction by urging on the proper authorities the great 

 necessity for destroying the foxes on the island ? A reward 

 of so much per head would stimulate a number of residents 

 to take up the warfare against the fox who at present are 

 unwilling to give up the necessary time required. The local 

 residents are very keen on the destruction of the animals, as 

 they fear the time will come when both the Mutton-birds and 

 the Penguins v;ill be non est so far as Phillip Island is con- 



