40 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



PROTECTION OF INSECTIVOROUS AND NATIVE 

 BIRDS. 



To the Editor of the Victorian Naturalist. 



Sir, — Last November Baron von Mueller brought forward at 

 our meeting the subject of the protection of insectivorous and 

 native birds, and made several valuable suggestions. Since then 

 I have been making careful inquiries, and obtained the views of 

 men in the trade and others qualified to speak on the subject. I 

 find that, prior to the opening of the present season for Wild 

 Duck, Teal, and other wild fowl, they were offered to the 

 dealers fully six weeks prior, the cause of this being the higher 

 price obtained for them. The refrigerating rooms being brought 

 to a practical stage is no doubt answerable for this, as they can 

 be kept there and sold without being exposed for sale before the 

 legal time. Other notable instances of their ready disposal are 

 the large ocean steamers, who buy them for the table, and sell 

 the balance at home ; also, some of the proprietors of our city 

 restaurants advertise themselves as purchasers. Bird-sellers are 

 induced to obtain large numbers of our native birds alive, finding 

 ready sale to captains and officers of ships, who buy as a specu- 

 lation and sell at home. A step on board many of the ships 

 preparing for sea cannot but convince one of the wholesale 

 destruction going on from day to day — sometimes over a 

 hundred birds in one ship. 



To combat this evil there seems to be a necessity for a further 

 alteration in the game laws, such as the following : — First, to 

 issue licenses, similar to the English, to kill game or wild fowl. 

 The cost differs according to the length of time for which it is 

 taken out. Thus, if taken out for the whole year (ist August to 

 31st July), the cost is £$, and the certificate printed on red 

 paper ; if taken out for three months (1st August to 31st October), 

 the cost is £2, and the certificate green; if taken out from ist 

 November to 31st July, the cost is £2, and the certificate yellow. 

 A game license for fourteen days costs jQi, and the certificate 

 white. Thus anyone found without a license is liable to punish- 

 ment, and the issue of the licenses being granted only a day 

 or two prior to the opening of the season, and dated for the 

 opening, prevents the destruction. Secondly, all vendors of 

 wild fowl and game should be licensed and their premises open to 

 the inspector for inspection, such officer to have full power to 

 prosecute. Thirdly, the Government of this colony being the 

 owners of the railways and having control of the ports should 

 give the railway commissioners power to make bye-laws prevent- 

 ing them being used for the transit of birds during the close 

 season, such power being given to the stationmasters of 

 every station, with power to take names and addresses for 

 prosecution by the authorities. Customs officers and the police 



