216 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



(1) 90 X 60, (2) 89 X 57, (3) 88 x 58, (4) 91 x 60, (5) 87 x 59, (6) 

 88 X 57. 



Breeding Sccbson. — .Erratic, as eggs ma}' be found, in June as 

 well as in {September and the following months. 



Geographical Distribution. — Coasts of Tasixiania, especially 

 the northern; several of the larger Bass Strait islands; also Vic- 

 toria and South and Western Australia. 



Observations. — Shooting begins 1st February, ends 30th June. 

 Discussion has arisen at various times in the pages of The Emu as 

 to whether the Cape Barren Goose is decreasing, increasing, or 

 holding its own. Although great diversity of opinion exists on 

 this subject, it is conceded by those most competent to judge 

 that the bird is at least holding its own, and is in no immediate 

 danger of extinction. Unfortunately, the bird is not a favourite 

 one with pastoralists on some of the Bass Strait islands, on 

 account of its voracious appetite and its fouling tlie grass so that 

 sheep will not feed after it. 



Mr. A. J. Campbell states, on the authority of Airs. Eobinson, 

 of Green Island, that — "Each bird possesses its own mate. 

 Should a goose in captivity lose her mate, the probability is that 

 she joins a wild flock and never returns. Should a gander lose 

 his wife, he entices a wild bird to dwell with hmi. An old bird 

 never mates with a young one, nor do young from the same clutch 

 pair or breed. The birds do not lay until they are two years old. 

 The Geese have a voracious appetite, their chief food being 

 herbage. They eat nearly all day, and frequently by night, quickly 

 digesting their food. Sheep will not graze after them, as in the 

 case of the domesticated Goose." 



In The Emu for July, 1907 (vol. vii., p. 36), there appeared a 

 note by Air. T. Hurst, of Caulfield, Victoria, to the effect that 

 during a visit to Launceston he had seen, a few miles down the 

 Tamar, a flock of between 20 and 30 Cape Barren Geese. This 

 being contrary to my experience, I set to work to discover whether 

 this species was in the habit of coming up the river frequently, 

 as stated by Mr. Hurst, but was unable to discover a single person 

 who had within the last 30 years seen a Caj^e Barren Goose inside 

 Tamar Heads. I interviewed master mariners, yachtsmen, 

 sportsmen, and professional fishermen, the majority of whom had 

 a knowledge of the river extending over some twenty to tw-enty- 

 five years, and some longer. In no instance were two persons 

 questioned at the same time, nor did I tell them for what pur- 

 pose I required the information. Mr. Frank Murray, who has a 

 large property abutting on the river, a few miles from Launceston, 

 informed me that some time since, when in Adelaide, he was 

 given a pair of " Chinese Geese," which he stated resembled 

 Cape Barren Geese lo a certain extent. The Geese were allowed 

 their liberty on his property, and in course of iime bred freely, 

 until he had quite a large flock. Sportsmen and others travelling 



