^'°'i9^:f"- (nrrcspondencc 317 



])(j\ver thai is held In the torlunale few who attend tlie Annual 

 Congress. Anything atifecting the i)olicy of the K.A.O.L'. should 

 be decided by a postal vote of all members. — Yours, etc., 



I.. 0. C11.\XI)I,]-:K. 

 Kedcliti's, 28/1/22. 



To the Editors of "The Hunt." 



Sirs, — At the Congress in Adelaide, Mr. Ashby read a paper, 

 which was printed in the January issue. I'ersonally I am against 

 the formation of further collections, especially with material from 

 the vicinity of large cities and towns, and I hasten to disassociate 

 myself from the policy outlined in Mr. Ashby's motion. I hope 

 that many other members will voice their opinions in the Hmu, 

 else the views expressed by Mr. Ashby are likely to be accepted 

 as the views of the Union generally. But neither Mr. Ashby's 

 personal opinion, nor mine, nor even of those fortunate enough 

 to be able to attend the Congress, should direct the policy of the 

 Union on such an important matter. 



I would suggest, then, that a vote of the whole of the mem- 

 bers on the question be taken at the next Congress aUjng with 

 the election of office-bearers. — Yours, etc., 



R. T. LTTTLEJOHNS. 

 Melbourne, 19/12/22. 



Collectingf and Killing Birds. — When the R.A.O.U. was 

 formed, one of the chief planks in its platform was stated to be 

 "the protection of our native birds." If we are going to protect 

 them, let us do it wholeheartedly, and not allow their ranks to 

 be thinned year after year by an army^f egg and skin collectors. 

 I have it on good authority that from 30 to 40 clutches of Acan- 

 thornis magna eggs are taken every season in the south of our 

 island, for excharge with mainland and foreign collectors. As 

 this interesting little species is found only in our limited Tas- 

 manian bush, why should it be exterminated — lost to the world — 

 to satisfy the rapacity of a small section of the community? 



Another point which should receive attention from protection- 

 ist members is the closing for the whole year of Black Swan 

 {Chenop'is atrata) shooting. The Launceston Examiner of 28th 

 February, recorded the massacre of 303 birds at Swansea by a 

 sporting party. This wholesale slaughter of a characteristic 

 .Vustralian species — the original "rara avis in terris" — is nothing 

 less than a disgrace to a civilised community. — H. Stuart Dove, 

 F.Z.S., R.A.O.U., W. Devonport, Ta.smania. 



