^«'i4^"- CHTSHOLM, Private CoUccthui 311 



mercilessly off, and assumed once more sole i)r()])rietorshi|) of 

 their offspring. 



The strange feature of this incident was the celerity with which 

 Fraser came to their call and went at their dismissal. At no 

 other time would Fraser dare to approach the young one without 

 being hunted, and yet in answer to their peculiar cries of alarm 

 when the }()ung one seemed to be in danger he came immediately. 

 When the parents had charge of the little one, they never ap- 

 peared to leave it alone for a moment, and "Lady Douglas" would 

 come more than a dozen times a day to the kitchen door, 

 screaming incessantly until given a scrap of meat, with which 

 she rushed off to the baby bird. The cook did not always appre- 

 ciate the clamorous appeal, as the cries would never cease till 

 the meat was handed over. 



Sometimes the owner and the ladies of the station would tease 

 Lady Douglas by stalking the young one, and she would get so 

 angry that when they left the court she would follow for the 

 length of the garden, Happing her wings and i)ecking and holding 

 on to the owner's leggings as if in punishment for the intrusion. 



The ending of the story came, alas ! in the shape of a wretched 

 fox. The owner rushed out one night in answer to their cries, 

 only to find the mother and young bird dead. The father bird, 

 after uttering his wailing call all that night, flew away and never 

 returned. 



Private Colleding A Criticism 



By A. H. CHISHOLM, C.l-.A.O.U., Daily Tclajraph, Sydney. 



At the risk of differing from many co-workers in i)opular 

 ornithology, I am constrained to say that I rather approve of the 

 l)ublication in The Uimt* of Air. Edwin Ashby's pa])er. "I'rivate 

 Collections and Permits." 



It seems to me that Mr. Ashby's article (in addition to its 

 usefulness in opening discussion on a matter that required ven- 

 tilation) has its educative value, and that not only for the insight 

 it gives into the morality of at least one section of private col- 

 lectors. The article is reasoned in parts, and more or less 

 thorough, and, above these considerations, it carries the stamp 

 of sincerity. Mr. Ashby's years, he tells us, remind him that 

 his life is "nearing its .setting," and to this he adds, "I earnestly 

 desire before I pass hence to help the rising generation into fields 

 of study, research, and service that have so brightened my own 

 life." On this basis, a member of the Union is entitled to be 

 heard. But it does not follow that any or all of his exi)eriences, 

 his views, or his desires are necessarilv calculated to benefit 



^Vol. 22, paRe 210. 



