^'°|-Jg"-] From Magazines, ^c. l6l 



National Parks. — " Fauna and Flora Reserves in Austra- 

 lasia " was the subject of a thoughtful lecture by Mr. Bernard 

 H. Woodward, F.C.S., delivered before the Western Australian 

 Natural History Society on 29th May, 1907. Mr. Woodward's 

 remarks are chiefly in substance the historical enactments in 

 the respective States regarding national reserves, and will serve 

 a good end by directly keeping the cause of bird protection 

 to the fore. Rut if we are to have proper bird preserves or re- 

 serves we must undoubtedly have those preserves also properly 

 protected by paid wardens, as in America. Anent this matter, 

 an influential deputation* is about to wait on the Hon. the 

 Minister of Lands, Victoria, regarding the reservation of Wilson 

 Promontory. The bulk of the Promontory has been reserved, 

 but a ^-mile foreshore surrounding the park has only 

 been temporarily reserved. The deputation intends to seek 

 favourable consideration — (i) that the whole be reserved for 

 all time, and (2) that a paid ranger be put in charge. A 

 ranger is an absolute necessity, because, even since the locality 

 has been " proclaimed," it is an open secret that 'possum 

 poachers (in close season) and timber fellers have been at their 

 destroying work. 



Native Birds Protection Association. — A meeting of 

 the Central Queensland Native Birds Protection Association 

 was held at the Belmore Arms Hotel on Thursday week. It 

 was decided to engage a ranger to put a stop to illegal shooting, 

 and bring before the courts those found guilty of such an act. 

 As this will mean considerable expense, the secretary was 

 directed to make a vigorous effort to get in subscriptions. It 

 was remarked that if members had their own interests at heart 

 there should be no difficulty in getting in the money, as it is 

 acknowledged that before the formation of the association there 

 was practically no close season, and were the association to 

 become defunct, the same state of things would prevail again, in 

 which case there would, in a very short time, be no such thing 

 as a game bird in the district. A great many persons, it was 

 also stated, reaped the benefit of the efforts of the association to 

 give the birds six months for breeding by getting six months' 

 good sport, and yet they would not join the association. 

 Probably the fact that last season was a particularly bad one 

 from a sportsman's point of view had a good deal to do with the 



•Consisting of delegates from the National Museum, Australian Natives' Associ- 

 ation, Royal Society, Royal Geographical Society, Field Naturalists' Club, Zoological 

 and Acclimatisation Society, Piscatorial Council, and Australasian Ornithologists' 

 Union. The Minister, who was sympathetic, has lieen interviewed. He promised 

 to recommend a paid ranger, but was of opinion that tlie "temporary reserve" of the 

 t^-mile foreshore would have to stand. However, the deputation's object would be 

 attained if shooting and hunting were not permitted within the |^-mile limit, as it is 

 in the National Paik proper. 



