Vol. XIX.-j Clfci:, .h^iH/^'.s/ liinis in Oul-lnuk Mxrcc. S.S.W. ^^(H) 



drmuUcl. Some holders weri' lucky cnoviKh to K't isolattd 

 storms and a consequent crop of short grass. Such a place is 

 Kooroogama Station, almost adjoining the township of Moree 

 Conducting building and water-service operations ()n different 

 parts of tin- run, we have a fine opportunity of noticing the birds 

 at work. A few weeks back, fat, egg-laden grasshoppers made 

 their appearance in ever-increasing numbers, and this, of course, 

 is the preliminary to millions of them eating out the vegetation 

 in a face However, the Straw-necked Ibis appeared, and 

 within a week there were thousands spread across the paddocks 

 like- workmen, ch-aning up the grasshoppers with great energy 

 their long, sickle-like bills enabling the l)irds to pull them out of 

 cracks and hiding-places in a most businesslike way. A tew 

 are still engaged cleaning up the stragglers, but, as fcir as one 

 can see. the job has been completed. We wonder what it would 

 have cost the proprietor to clear 25,000 acres so thoroughly ol 

 grasshoppers without destroying a blade of grass, and if the 

 children and townspeople of Moree realized, as the birds flew 

 overhead to their roosting-places at night, the good work they 

 had been engaged in all day ? When one thinks of the vast areas 

 all oN-er the continent this bird clears in like manner, we realize 

 the economic asset they 'are, and an excellent reason for the 

 K A.O.U. to insist on effixient protection for these and other 

 insectivorous birds throughout the Commonwealth. Can we 

 wonder that the ancient Egyptians protected the Ibis and 

 regarded it as sacred ? , ;.; ' 



The proprietor of this station, Mr. K. A. Read, pays the employes 

 a /I bonus for fox scalps, and as a result this murdering enemy 

 of all our ga-ound birds is kept down, and hundreds of the beautiful 

 and useful little Black-breasted Plover are here nesting and 

 rearing their young. We noted three nests, with four eggs in 

 each, within 150 yards of the shed outbuildings. The male bird 

 disappears during incubation, but the little mother sticks to her 

 iob till all are hatched, and in a few hours the little stilted mitcs 

 toddle away with her. During the last 24 hours of incubation 

 the male is back on guard, and attacks Hawks, Crows, Butcher- 

 Birds Magpies, or any bird that comes near, with the utmost 

 ferocity, until they are glad to beat a speedy retreat. Under 

 these partial sanctuary conditions hundreds of young have been 

 reared during the last 10 weeks ; but on places where the fox is 

 not so vigorously hunted probably not 5 per cent, are reared. 

 The Stone-Plover or Curlew, and the Bustard or Wild Turkey, 

 both vigorous insect-eaters, have almost disappeared from this 

 district since Reynard's advent. 



The Starling apparently finds this part suits him. Two years 

 since we saw a small flock here for the first time, very wild and 

 wary keeping well away from houses. Just now they are nesting 

 in lio'llow trees all around, and flocks of probably 100 arc quite 



common. . i • -x i' c 



The town of Moree is favoured with an annual visitation ol 



