290 



Brookes, Spread^of Prickly Pear by Scrub-Turkey. 



r Emu 



Li^t April 



The following extracts from communications received by Mr. 

 P. V. Maloney, secretary Native Birds Protection Society, Rock- 

 hampton, bearing on this point, are of interest, viz. : — 



From Mr. H. C. Macarthney, Gogango : — " I have taken pains 

 to thoroughly examine those birds shot in the district, and find 

 that they are at present largely feeding on the fruit of the pear. 

 On opening them up I found the crop and gizzard full of pear 

 seeds, but apparently nothing passes the powerful crushing 

 gizzard, as all matter in the intestines was reduced to a paste." 



From Mr. P. F. Madconald, The Range, Rockhampton : — " I 

 have, during the past sixty years, while I lived at Yaamba, 

 continued to rear and make pets of these valuable birds (Turkeys), 

 and carefully watched the result, and always found them quite 

 harmless of the charges attributed to them (spreading pear)." 



3. — Germination Tests Carried Out with Pear Seed. 



Tests were made with those obtained from the crop, gizzard, 

 and intestines of the six birds, as well as from seeds obtained 

 from ripe pear fruit. Seeds that had passed through the Turkey 

 were not to be found. Each lot of seeds was kept separate in 

 the tests. The results have been tabulated, however, according 

 to the respective organs. 



Two methods of testing were adopted — viz., l^lotting paper 

 " tray tester," and under ordinary soil conditions. Ten seeds 

 were taken from each lot for the " tray tester," the balance being 

 planted in a plot of land shaded by the branches of an adjacent 

 tree, and protected from vermin by bird netting. No rain having 

 fallen since the commencement of the test, frequent waterings 

 had to be resorted to, the soil being kept moderately moist. 



For comparison, a test was carried out in both tester and soil 

 with seed obtained from ripe pear fruit. This was of interest, 

 as it is generally believed that pear seeds will not germinate for 

 years unless they have passed through the digestive tract of an 

 animal or bird. 



RESULTS OF GERMINATION TESTS. 

 Commenced 22nd July, 191S, to date 20th November, 1918. 



