Vol. VI 

 1907 



The Proleciion of Native Birds. lOI 



Association, In educating the general public as to the economic 

 value of birds, and in creating public sentiment in favour of bird 

 protection, these organisations have met with phenomenal 

 success, and their educational work has paved the way for still 

 more successful efforts in securing the adoption and enforcement 

 of uniform laws and in spe.cific measures of bird protection. 

 Could not the Australasian Ornithologists' Union, by enlarging 

 its members' roll and by extending its sphere of usefulness, aid 

 the various State Governments of Australia in like manner ? 



(c) Suggestions, 



Let me conclude by endeavouring to throw out a few practical 

 suggestions how we may improve bird protection in our own 

 land, and increase public sentiment in favour of the same. 



(i.) The machinery of our Game Acts is excellent so far as it 

 goes, and for the present requirement needs only to be kept in 

 motion. Therefore, the first object to be attained is to get the 

 Acts in the various States strictly observed. This may be best 

 done by education, by fostering a national sentiment, and by 

 urging the authorities to enforce the law. It is notorious that 

 some of our Game Laws are more observed in the breach than 

 in the fulfilment, especially in the country districts, the very 

 localities where the observance of bird laws is most needed. 

 Take, for instance, Sunday shooting. Apart from being a 

 transgression against the great moral law, it is an offence against 

 the Police Statutes to shoot on Sunday. If the law regarding 

 Sunday shooting were rigidly carried out it would be equivalent 

 to an additional close season in favour of the birds, because they 

 are more often shot on the first day of the week than on any 

 other day. 



(2.) Regarding some species of birds that are partially but 

 not adequately protected, the schedules of the various States 

 might be brought into line- — i.e., made uniform. The schedules 

 could easily be amended by proclamation, as was pointed out in 

 Mr. A. J. Campbell's paper, with suggestions, on the subject, 

 read before the annual session of the Australasian Ornithologists' 

 Union, Hobart, November, 1903. These valuable suggestions 

 were referred to the Council {vide The Emu, iii., p. 159), but, as 

 far as I am aware, nothing has been yet attempted in that 

 direction. 



(3.) Reserves for Birds. — Term them what you please — 

 reserves, preserves, or sanctuaries — there are very few such places. 

 More might be set apart, not only by State Governments, but by 

 wealthy land-owners. Regarding some of our land-owners, I feel 

 sure it only requires representation and some of our pastoralists 

 and others would proclaim a limited portion of their " broad 



