28 



and with one pull of the line. Birds were very plen- 

 tiful that morning. On that occasion we filled no less 

 than ten cages (or 1200 birds) in three hours. This 

 will open the eyes of bird trappers in England. 



No doubt the reader will think that the birds 

 ought to be cheaper when caught in numbers like this, 

 but bear in mind what an expedition like this costs, 

 the risks and privations that have to be borne. When 

 in this district we can only work till ten o'clock in the 

 morning and after four o'clock in the afternoon. 

 Between these hours it might be 115"^ in the shade. 

 Tliis will give j'ou an idea of what the heat is like. 

 We have known it so hot that the lagoons have dried 

 up, and perhaps we have about two gallons of water 

 left to last us 50 miles. It is very hard times when 

 there is no water to be obtained, and perhaps the food 

 runs short. On one occasion we lived on kangaroo 

 flesh for three months, and often have we had to get 

 water to drink from a lagoon wherein lies a dead 

 kangaroo or dingo. The mosquitoes and flies are great 

 tormentors, and to protect our eyes we have to wear 

 goggles. But it is terrible to see the horses, they can 

 do nothing to protect themselves. This is during the 

 day time. At night we have to put up with the squalls 

 of the water fowl, night birds, and worst of all, the 

 ants. 



Our trapping operations take place soon after the 

 breeding season, and quite 75 per cent, of our captures 

 are uncoloured, or, in other words, have only their 

 nest feathers, and when in this condition they look a 

 miserable lot of birds. All these are moulted off in 

 the cages, and by the time we arrive in Europe they 

 are in perfect feather. 



