The Bird-Trappers of the fiiverina. 45 



pigeons, trappers being ]:)aid ninepence each for them. But 

 the great majority of the birds trapped are sent to dealers 

 in the city, who re-sell them to officers of steamers that trade 

 between European and Australian ports. Many thousands of 

 Cockatoos, ] believe go to Germany each year, and find a 

 ready sale at from 5s. to Ci a-piecc. Is captivity in a 

 foreign country preferable to death by poisoning or gunshot? 

 That is a cjuestion which I pondered (jften in Riverina. 



One morning I was taken to a wheat-field to see, as 

 the (jwner expressed it, the " work of the blessed Cialahs." 

 There were perhaps a dozen birds fiymg over the wheat when 

 we arrived, bat none rose from the crop -if crop it could be 

 called. On every side, the stalks were broken- down, and the 

 grain had been stripped from the ears as if a machine had 

 been over the area. Nor could a handful of grain ha\e been 

 gathered easily; this was no place for gleaners. I was as- 

 sured that our (ialalis ahjne were responsible for the devasta- 

 tion. 'Ihis is the dark side of the lantern. Follows a flash 

 fron) the bright side. 1 quote from " Wild Life in Australia," 

 by Mr. D. Lc Souef, C.M.Z.S., Director of the Melbourne 

 Zoological Gardens. 



'■ Flocks of Rose-coloured Cockatoos or GalaJis were 

 frequently noticed feeding on the ground, and very pretty 

 they looked. Their favourite food seemed to be roots of a 

 native plant Microseris. Forsteri, and they also appreciate 

 grass-hoppers eggs, digging up many thousands of them . . 

 Hence Galahs should be protected as the farmer's friend."' 



Personally, I would deeply regret the extinction of the 

 Gaiah even it it were proved that the bird does more iiann 

 than good. We must live and let live. To the true Xature- 

 lover nothing is "common"; he cares for the .S[).irr(i\\ , which 

 picks up a living in mean streets, as well as the Bird of 

 Faradisi;. 1' oriunately, there are no signs that the Rose- 

 breasted Cockatoo is dying out; on the contrary. In the 

 ' uurse f)f a week's lr;i\(lhng ihrougli " Galah " country 1 

 saw enormous flocks, and ihou^xmdb ol nchling hollows which 

 were cither tenanted or had contained broods. My companion, 

 who knows vast areas of the Riverina as well as 1 know the 



