°go2 J Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 1 8? 



EXPENDIIURE. 



Printing of i5';;z?^ 



General Expenses (as per IiWoices) 



By Bank Balance ... ... 



.£136 3 5 



Audited and found correct. 



M. SYMONDS CLARK, ) . ,., 

 EDWIN ASHBY, -^Auditors. 



12/8/1902. ROBT. VlKLL, Hon. Treasurer. 



The Protection of Native Birds. 



(With Comparative Statement showing Close Seasons in 

 Respective States.) 



By a. J. Campbell. 



{Read before A list. O.U., Melbouriie Congress., 21st November, 1902.) 



When I addressed my paper on this subject to the first 

 Congress of the Australasian Association for the Advancement 

 of Science, 1888, and made use of the expression, "the 

 question of the protection of our native birds adds another 

 string to the bow of Federation," I little thought that the 

 Commonwealth was so near, or the establishment of an Aus- 

 tralasian Ornithologists' Union. 



The burden of my paper 14 years ago was based on a 

 tabulated statement showing the close season for indigenous 

 birds in the respective colonies (now States), with suggestions 

 for removing anomalies and assimilating the "close " periods 

 for certain species in neighbouring States. 



By a strange coincidence, since then all the Game Acts have 

 been amended (with the exception of that of Queensland), and 

 the schedules of the protected birds remodelled. The various 

 Acts, as they now stand, applied to birds are : — 



Queensland, Native Bird Protection Act 1877 (4^ Victoria, 

 No. 7) ; amended 1884. New South Wales, Birds Protection 

 Act 1 901 (i Edwardi VII., No. 26). Victoria, Game Act 1890 

 (54 Victoria, No. 1095). South Australia, The Birds Protection 

 Act 1900 {61 and 64 Victoria, No. 745). Western Australia, 

 TJie Game Act 1892 (55 Victoria, No. 36); amended 1900. 

 Tasmania, TJie Game Protection Act 1895 (59 Victoria, No. 26) ; 

 amended 1896. 



All these Acts are excellent machinery, which have only to be 

 intelligently administered and intelligently observed by the 

 peoples in order to give our " feathered friends " a fair measure 

 of protection. Nevertheless, I think there is still room for 

 improvement in some of the attendant schedules, at all events, 



