JDLKNAL 01-" THK Wll.U BIRD INVESTK lATlUN SOCIKTV. 



br()u<,'-ht to realize what a potent factor for good 

 our wild birds are. During the past four years 

 X'oles and other farm vermin have largely 

 increased, so that it is especially necessary now 

 tliat all birds that destroy them, such as owls, 

 the kestrel and sea-gulls, should be offcreil every 

 l^rotection. 



RECONSTRUCTION AND BIRD PROTECTION. 



In a recent issue of Hinl XdIcs and Xcii'S a 

 \i-rv al)le plea is put forth on behalf of Bird 

 Protection. The writer very truly states that 

 resolute and strenuous action is needed to over- 

 come the existing apathy, indifference, and hope- 

 lessness. The defects in the present Wild Birds' 

 Protection .\cts are admitted; "they have 

 notoriouslv proved insufficient," the writer states, 

 and we fully agree with all that is said respecting 

 making them " simple, clear, and definite," and 

 for once and for all putting an end to the 

 "collector," "egg-dealer," and "bird-catcher." 



The education in these matters of the worker 

 on the land and the rural child, we are told, is 

 imperative, opportunity must be " afforded for 

 the opening of children's eyes and ears, the 

 lumianising of their minds, and the sweetening of 

 their souls." Truly there is a great work for 

 nature-lovers, ornithologists, field-naturalists, and 

 others to do, and in this writer's words, "It is 

 lime for action." Through ignorance, thought- 

 lessness, and greed, we are being robbed of a 

 national asset of incalculable value, and one 

 which once destroyed will be exceedingly difficult, 

 if not impossible, to replace. 



THE GOULD LEAGUE OF BIRD LOVERS 



The organization for bird-protection in .\us- 

 tralia, better known as the Gould I^eague of Bird 

 Lovers, is an active and flourishing society, with 

 a huge membership, of which school children 

 form a large percentage. .\mongst other 

 activities, it supplies various public parks and 

 gardens, school grounds, etc., with nesting- 

 boxes, bathing-pools, and food-tables, which, 

 whilst affording considerable interest to visitors, 

 prove of great value to the birds. The various 

 .States also have a Bird Day, on which special 

 papers or addresses are given on bird-life and its 

 utilitv, in the public schools. The good this 

 organization is doing in instilling a love and 

 knowledge of birds into the rising generation 

 •cannot be over-estimated. 



THE CALIFORNIAN FISH AND GAME 

 COMMISSION. 



There are few organizations doing better work 

 as regards the conservation of wild-life than the 

 Californian Fish and (jame Commission. .Vpart 

 from other interesting literary matter, their 

 monthlv journal, Californian Fisli and (kiinc, is 

 replete with interest, and evidences a really live 

 and active body. This Commission is entirely 

 self-supporting, receiving its annual revenue of 

 about 300,000 dollars from the sale of hunting 

 and fishing licences and from fines collected from 

 \iolators of the laws. Its motto, " Conservation 

 through Education," is well borne out in a recent 

 booklet bearing this title, in which the various 

 activities of the Commission are pictorially and 

 otherwise portrayed. 



^jBE^j^m 



CORRESPONDENCE. J 



I .*»3 &vSr ^i/»^ ^a? .y^jr.,. 



V'liese columvs (ire open to Members to express their views on 

 geneial toptcs. and for the discussion of matters of interest to 

 ornithologists. The Editor talies no responsihity for the opinions 

 expressed bv correspondents. No notice is tnken of anonymous 

 commnnications. 



BREEDING OF TINAMOUS AND THE APTERYX 

 IN CONFINEMENT. 



I notice in a recent publication that the 

 Tinamou is being bred under artificial conditions 

 on an estate at Tarrytown, N.Y. , U.S.A. Can 

 any member inform me if any species of this bird, 

 or the .Apteryx, has ever been bred under artificial 

 conditions in this Country? N. Z. 



With reference to the Tinamou, Professor 

 Newton (Diet, of Birds, p. 906) states : " At 

 least one species of Tinamou has Itrcd not un- 

 frequently in confinement, and an interesting 

 account of what would have been a successful 

 attempt by Mr. John Bateman to naturalize this 

 species, Rhvnchoius rufcsccns, in England, at 

 Brightlingsea, in Essex, appeared in The Field 

 (23rd FeL, T884, and 12th Sept., 1885). The 

 experiment, unfortunately, failed, owing to the 

 destruction of the birds by foxes." — [Eu.] 



THE NEED OF LOCAL BRANCHES 



In wishing the journal of the Society all 

 success, mav I direct attention to one of its 



