316 Correspondence. TsfApT 



In the interior of our continent there is undoubtedly still a 

 limited amount of research work to l)e done in CJrnitholoi^y, hut 

 how many "promising hona fide workers" will be in a ])osition 

 to visit these places to collect specimens. The majority of 

 ornithologists have their homes in the cities. 



In museums and in i)rivate collections rdready in existence, 

 there is, for reference jjurposes and study, a \ast quantity of 

 skins and eggs. The issue of further ])ermits to young students 

 would be a menace to our rarer birds, and, in public ojjinion, a 

 set-back to the cause of bird-protection. Mo.st of the work of 

 these men would be confined to an area within a "week-end" 

 radius of the city in which they lived, and like collectors of the 

 present day, in an effort to enlarge their collections, they would 

 concentrate their attention on rare birds and their eggs. In 

 such cases when the collection reaches a certain number of 

 species, it is possible to add rare species from other States only 

 by an exchange of rare si)ecies. 



A permit is supi)osed to restrict the holder to a limited numlier 

 of bird skins or sets of eggs, but with the majority of collect(ns 

 the limit is reached only when the last set of rare eg^?^ that 

 is found for the season, is — to u.se a favourite collecting ])hrase 

 — "lifted." The ])ublic are becoming aware of this, and it 

 doesn't forward the cause of genuine bird ]>rotection. 



There is plenty of research work for the student without his 

 becoming a general coU.ector. In Economic Ornithology alone 

 there is a large field for study, but that need embrace only 

 common species whose usefulness to the farmer is in doubt. 

 There is no occasion to shoot, say, a Lyre-Bird or a Helmeted 

 Honeyeater to discover what food they eat. I contend that the 

 methods adopted by the old school of ornithologists, where a 

 bird had to be shot to be studied, have, in so far as the settled 

 portions of Australia are concerned, oullixed their utility. The 

 main objective of Ornithological Clubs for the future should be 

 the ])reservation of bird-life. The education of the ])ublic, par- 

 ticularly the agricultural conununity. by i)ropaganda and illus- 

 trated lectures, should be a strong plank of the I\..\.( ).r. 



As Mr. Ashby i)oints out, sanctuaries must be an important 

 factor in the ])reservation of wild birds, but a sanctuary without 

 a warden is almost useless. The enthusiastic "egg-lifter" <loes 

 not stop short of a sanctuary if he requires a set of eggs. The 

 ])ublic, knowing this, look on with suspicion when sanctuaries 

 arc mentioned. If the R.A.O.U. discourages the formation of 

 further pri\ate collections except in special restricted cases, it 

 \\'\\\ soon have the weight of public opinion behind it in its 

 efforts to protect birds. 



In conclusion, Sirs, in reference to the resolutions wliich were 

 passed at the \delaifle session, I wish to protest against the 



