THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



fly;" "Yes, young birds and eggs in numbers." Twenty-five 

 recommend the alteration of the date of opening the shooting 

 season from ist March to ist April. This is advisable on more 

 grounds than one. The birds are not only breeding, but the 

 weather is so hot that most of the birds killed are bad before they 

 can be used, and the dogs are unable to work, as they become 

 exhausted, and scent will not lie long after sunrise. Thus the 

 sportsman is deprived of his chief pleasure in seeing his dogs in 

 work. Several writers, whilst admitting the presence of many 

 young birds in March, object to prolonging the close season on 

 the ground that so much illegal shooting is carried on that it 

 simply means letting the poachers have the whole of the sport. 

 Some of the writers complain in no uncertain manner about 

 persons who ought to enforce the law being the chief offenders. 

 With regard to the ducks, nearly all the replies are in favour of 

 opening the shooting season on ist February, as very few of the 

 young birds can fly by 20th December, and the weather is so hot 

 that those shot become bad before they can be utilized. 



With this information in hand your sub-committee decided to 

 invite the co-operation of the Royal Agricultural Society, which 

 body appointed Mr. Job Smith (president) and Mr. Geo. 

 Chirnside as their representatives on the committee. The 

 plebiscite of sportsmen nominated Mr. W. T. Coldham, Mr. John 

 Clark, and Dr. Chas. Ryan. Mr. ^V. Cooper was asked to 

 represent the bird-dealers, and Mr. Geo. E. Shepherd the fruit- 

 growers. The date of the conference was fixed for Wednesday, 

 26th March, in the council room of the Royal Agricultural 

 Society. At the last moment Mr. Chirnside sent an apology, and 

 Mr. Thomas Patterson (secretary of the Royal Agricultural 

 Society) was appointed to fill his place. As Mr. Coldham was 

 also otherwise engaged, Mr. T. G. Pearson was invited to act in 

 his stead, your representatives being all present. 



After Mr. J. Smith had been voted to the chair, the business 

 was introduced by Mr. Keartland. It was then decided to take 

 the items in the schedule seriatim, and the list as agreed upon 

 stands thus : — 



To be Protected the Whole Year. 



All Australian Fauna (except snakes) in the National Park, 

 Wilson's Promontory. 



Antelopes, Deer, Kangaroos (large grey, Macropus giganteus, 

 and large red, Mao'ojms rufus), Native Bears, Platypus, Seals. 



Acanthizas (all species), Babblers (all species), Bee-eaters, Bus- 

 tard or Wild Turkey, Californian Quail, Coachwhip-birds, Cuckoos 

 (all species). Emus, Egrets, Ephthianuras, Fantails, Flycatchers, 

 Great Kingfisher or Laughing Jackass, Grouse, Harmonious 

 Shrike-Thrush, Larks (all species), Lyre-birds, Magpies, 

 Magpie Larks, Martins, Mountain Thrushes, Nightjars, Owls 



