Vol. xvili.-j Brookes, Spread of Prickly Pear by Scrub-Turkey. 289 



3. What proportion of the seeds taken respectively from the 

 crop, gizzard, and intestines, and those passed by the 

 birds, germinate in comparison to those secured from 

 the ripe pear fruit ? 

 The findings arrived at are : — 



I. — Are the Turkeys Large Consumers of Pear Fruit ? 



The appearance of the birds received by the restaurants in 

 town suggest that they feed largely on pear fruit, as evidenced by 

 the purple stains on the head and feet. It may be of interest to 

 mention that their method of securing the fruit is to fly over the 

 plants, seizing the fruit in their claws while on the wing, then 

 dropping it in a heap some yards distant. Quite a number of those 

 collections were to be seen around scattered pear clumps. 



To obtain definite proof that the Turkey consumed large 

 quantities of pear fruit, six birds were shot in a pear-infest-ed 

 scrub lying between Stanwell and Westwood. Those birds were 

 carefully opened, the quantity of seed secured from the respective 

 birds being as follows : — 



QUANTITY OF SEED SECURED FROM SIX TURKEYS. 



Totals ... 394 ... 281 ... 611 ... 280 ... 230 ... 430 ... 2,226 



2. — Are THE Seeds Wholly Digested by the Turkey ? 



In a previous report prominence was given to this most important 

 point, so that, when visiting scrub areas infested with pear and 

 where Turkeys were numerous, close search was made around 

 their feeding-places, and also adjacent to nests, to ascertain 

 whether the birds rejected the seeds in their droppings. Regarding 

 this matter, I may mention that I interviewed several farmers, 

 who were emphatic in their assertion that the Turkey was guilty 

 of spreading the pear, but their only proof was the fact that the 

 birds consumed the fruit and that the pear was spreading in the 

 scrubs. 



An excellent opportunity was, however, afforded of securing 

 reliable data on this point from the fact that a Turkey was to be 

 found in captivity in the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens. Mr. 

 Simmonds, the curator, very kindly arranged to supply this bird 

 with ripe pear fruit and note results. Although two sugar-bags 

 of fruit were consumed, no seeds were to be found in the droppings 

 or on the surface of the soil in the small enclosure. 



The fact that seed was to be found in the intestines of three 

 of the birds examined is undoubtedly suspicious, but as those 

 were in every instance in close proximity to the gizzard, it is very 

 probable that they were ejected by that powerful organ when 

 the bird was shot. 



