Jl. III."] 

 1903 J 



From Magazines, &c. 7 7 



maximus measuring nearly 17 x 13 inches. An average egg of 

 the extinct Madagascar bird (JEpyornis) measures about 1 2 inches 

 in length. 



Protection of the Nutmeg'Pigeon. 



Referring to an effort (see " Report for 1901-02/' Emu, 

 vol. ii., p. 185) by the Aust. O.U. to get the Nutmeg-Pigeons 

 (Myristicivora spilorrhoa) properly protected on the islands off 

 the North Queensland coast, whither the birds resort to breed, 

 the Under-Secretary, Brisbane, has been good enough to cause 

 preliminary inquiries to be made, and has forwarded to the 

 Council of the Union the following correspondence : — 



(1.) From Mr. J. N. Parkes, Home Secretary's Department, 

 Townsville : — 



" I had your (Under-Secretary's) letter published in the local 

 columns of the Townsville Daily Bulletin. There have been 

 no letters written to the paper, and no one has made any inquiries 

 or offered an opinion excepting those to whom I have spoken. 

 They all agree that it would be advisable to take action in the 

 manner indicated by the hon. secretary Aust. O.U." 



(2.) From Mr. C. Pennefather, Comptroller-General, Prisons 

 Department, Brisbane : — 



" The Torres Strait Pigeons commence their flight from New 

 Guinea about the beginning of October, as a rule, and stream 

 down the coast as far as the Palm Islands in countless thousands 

 (I might, I think, safely say millions). They settle on almost 

 all the many wooded islands and islets along the line of coast 

 from Cape York to the vicinity of the south end of Hinchinbrook 

 Island. They also settle on some of the islands in Torres Strait. 



" They nest on the islands they settle on, and feed on the main- 

 land, principally on nutmegs, and it is understood that the male 

 birds carry over food to the females sitting on their nests. I am 

 not, however, sure about this, but the fact remains that on many 

 islands on which they nest there are no trees but mangroves, and 

 consequently there is no fruit nearer than the mainland. In 

 January and February the birds, with their young, now strong 

 enough for the voyage, take flight to New Guinea. 



" There can be no doubt that the indiscriminate slaughter 

 which takes place on some of the islands while the birds are 

 nesting must tend to reduce the natural increase, but it is a 

 question whether this has any considerable effect upon the 

 numbers which annually flock down the coast, and it does not 

 follow that because the pigeons come to this part of the coast 

 at a certain time that they may not have another breeding- 

 season in New Guinea. The fact that these birds afford a fresh 

 meat diet to many settlers on the coast, as well as to the employes 

 on the beche-de-mer and pearl-Ashing craft, is worthy of con- 

 sideration. 



