248 Economic Section. [,^fTan 



was found in getting seed. It was not until towards the close 

 of the season that the reason for this free-seeding propensity here 

 was realized. Early one morning it was noted that a little bird, 

 not as large as a Canary, with a very long honey-eating bill, spent 

 most of its time flitting back and forth among the flowers. As it 

 reached to send its bill down the tube of the flower after the 

 honey, its dainty breast was pressed against the stamens and pistils 

 of the flower, the pollen being carried in this way from one 

 flower to the next, thus ensuring complete pollination. Now, every 

 year, while the cardinal climber is in flower, dozens of these little 

 birds may be seen every day plying back and forth from blossom 

 to blossom, getting the honey which is their payment for fer- 

 tilizing the seed. The area planted with this dainty climber has 

 been* increased year by year, and quite a large amount of seed 

 is exported annually ; but, whatever number of flowers there are, 

 it appears as if there were birds sufficient to pollinate them." 

 Mr. Herbert J. Rumsey has been good enough to supply me, at 

 my request, with the above summary of his remarks at the meeting 

 referred to, for pubUcation in The Emu. From his description the 

 bird is, I believe, the Spinebill {Acanthorhynchus ieniiirostris). It 

 is of much interest to know that one of our purely Australian 

 birds is assisting in the success of a commercial venture, is enabling 

 an export trade (slight, it is true) to flourish, and is helping to 

 set the seed of plants not only to adorn our own gardens but also 

 those in America. — J. B. Cleland. 



Ibis at Kerang (Vic.) — A rather interesting item re the value 

 of the Ibis was told me at Kerang last month by a farmer who 

 lives about 10 miles from the rookery, part of which is shown in 

 the accompanying photograph. He had noticed that a small 

 green caterpillar was eating his crop of green stuff. One morning 

 he went out and saw about a dozen Ibises (Straw-necks) at work 

 on the caterpillars ; the following morning about 1,000 birds 

 were there, having evidently been brought by the scouts of the 

 previous day, and in a week not a caterpillar was to be seen in 

 the crop. He said they lined up like a regiment of soldiers, 

 about a yard apart, and took it in a face, with the result that 

 he had a splendid crop. He is now a firm bird-protector. — 

 Wallace R. Pennycook. Bendigo. 



Birds and Insects. 



In the report of the Queensland Agricultural Department for the 

 year 1918-19 considerable space is devoted by tlie Government 

 Entomologist and Vegetable Pathologist (Mr. Henry Tryon) to 

 observations on the inquiries and work of his office in regard to 

 birds. It is pointed out that " the usefulness of birds, by reason 

 of their insectivorous habits, is not commonly impressed by 



