88 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXV. 



are being set aside for tourist purposes. The previous year's 

 report dealt with the scenery along the recently opened main 

 trunk line from Auckland to Wellington, and recommended 20 

 reservations, amounting to 24,000 acres. 



Protection of Native Birds. — Among other letters on this 

 subject which have appeared in the Argus lately was the follow- 

 ing forcible one from Mr. G. E. Shepherd, of Somerville, an 

 enthusiastic ornithologist. He says : — " The thanks of all nature 

 lovers, particularly ornithologists, are due to you for your very 

 able and opportune article regarding our indigenous birds. As a 

 resident of Mornington Peninsula for upwards of 40 years, I say 

 most emphatically that even now the result of the indiscriminate 

 destruction of birds is beginning to be felt. Lagoons and 

 swamps that were considered to be permanent 40 years ago 

 are dry depressions, as a result of the wading birds that kept 

 the yabbies in check being either driven away or slaughtered. 

 Only two seasons ago, whilst making bird observations in and 

 around a lagoon, I noticed a stately Pacific Heron feeding 

 in the shallow water. My successive visits seemed to inspire 

 confidence in this noble creature, but, alas, less than a week 

 elapsed ere I found him dead on the margin of the swamp, 

 shot merely for amusement. The White-fronted Heron con- 

 sumes large quantities of grasshoppers and crickets. I have 

 seen the birds working in hundreds in a potato field ; coming in 

 the early morning, and remaining all day, retiring to thick timber 

 to roost in the evening. White Herons are now very scarce, the 

 Bittern and Nankeen Night-Heron are seldom seen, and, unfor- 

 tunately, when seen are very often shot, like the heron previously 

 mentioned. Hawks are beginning to become very scarce here, 

 a result largely due to people's ignorance. Even the beautiful 

 and harmless little Kestrel is shot " on sight," simply because it 

 is a hawk, without a single thought being given to the fact that it 

 has its own field to labour in, and its own destiny to fulfil. 

 To the State schools and teachers we must, I think, look for 

 the remedy. Let children be taught that it is wicked to destroy 

 birds without good reasons ; also let them be taught to see for 

 themselves that bird-life is part of the great scheme of Nature. 

 Finally, let us have laws enacted anc^ administered that will be a 

 protection to useful birds of all classes." 



Eels. — Much interest is attached to the early stages in the life- 

 history of eels, and as the young elvers will soon be ascending 

 the rivers from the sea, observers can render good service by 

 securing specimens and forwarding them with data to the 

 National Museum, Melbourne. Fuller particulars will be found 

 in the " Fishing Notes " in the Australasian of Saturday, 5th 

 September. 



