322 PHALACROCOIIACID^. 



have it on thu .uuhority of fishermen who have fished in Bass's Strait, thai the Cormorant 

 rookeries on the islands there breed enough birds to stock the whole of Australia; perhaps if 

 attention was ^i\en to the breeding habits of the pest, they could be dealt with during that 

 period in their rookeries in a manner sufficiently elfectixe to bring about a yearly diminution in 

 their numbers ; the result would be a proportionate increase in the edible fish life in the waters 

 of the Commonwealth." In the " Report of the fjoard for the year 1907 "" is the following 

 relative to the destruction of lish by Cormorants : — Owing to the formation of a sand bar at 

 the entrance of Smith's Lake, the lake waters were closed from the ocean for about two years, 

 and were heavily stocked with fish. Large flocks of Cormorants — estimated at about two 

 thousand — were observed to be very busy attacking the fish, and performed evolutions in a very 

 systematic manner, by work'ing in droves and forcing the small fish from the weedy bottoms 

 into clear water by united action. Then they attacked them in closely packed bodies, and held 

 them securely in the clear water until they had gorged themselves, and in this manner accounted 

 for the destruction of vast numbers of small fish. The sum of ^100 was voted on the estimates 

 of 1907-8 in payment of awards for the destruction of Cormorants, and a reward of 4d. was 

 offered for each head. The adjoining States are also taking steps to reduce the number of these 

 pests, and are offering the following rewards per head for their destruction: — Queenlsand 16, 

 Tasmania i -, Western Australia -/6, South Australia ■ 1, New Zealand i/- to 3/6. In \"ictoria 

 no rewards are offered, but periodical raids are made by inspectors and the police, wiio are 

 supplied with ammunition for shooting them. Mr. J. A. livodie. Chief Inspector of Fisheries, 

 in his " Report on Trout Waters, Tumut to Cooma, via Snowy River," remarks:! — In all the 

 waters \isited complaints were made of the destruction of trout by Cormorants, and it was 

 ascertained that the Fish and Game Protection Society at Cooma is offering a reward of i/- per 

 head, in addition to the reward of 4d. per head offered by the Department, for these fish-eating 

 birds. Again in the Report of the Board for the year i90(S[ Mr. H. E. Bridle reported that 

 the trout anglers who \isited Brindabella during the season formed a fund for the destruction of 

 Cormorants, and that a reward of 3/- was paid in the beginning of the season, which was 

 increased to 5/- per head as the birds became scarce. Forty-seven were shot by the local 

 residents, who claimed the rewards offered, and this river was practically freed of Cormorants 

 for the time being. The destruction of fish by Cormorants is still very considerable in the 

 coastal waters, where these birds are \'ery numerous, and although they are not so plentiful in 

 inland waters they are responsible for the destruction of large quantities of tresh-water fish, 

 including trout. The general feeling on these waters is that larger rewards should be paid per 

 head on account of the difficulty that is experienced in shooting them, and in some districts the 

 Government reward of 4d. per head has been supplemented by private subscription, and as 

 much as 5s. per head has been paid for each bird destroyed, with very satisfactory results as 

 regards the diminution of these pests in those localities. During the year this Department has 

 paid a sum of /,'i 18 4s. for the destruction of seven thousand and ninety two birds, at a price of 

 4d. per head, and an additional three hundrd and thirty live have been shot by Inspectors of 

 Fisheries, who have been supplied with ammunition for this purpose. Again Mr. E. J. Paton, 

 Inspector of Fisheries at Port Stephens reports :j — The Cormorants still continue a pest in 

 this district ; there are, however, less to be seen in the open harbour waters than previous to the 

 payment of 4d. per head for their destruction. They seem to resort to out of the way places in 

 the lakes and rivers, where they are seldom disturbed. Although hundreds have been shot by 

 sportsmen, for which no claim has been made, they continue a scourge in the lake and river 

 waters, and the destruction wrought by them to fish life in the waters of the State must be 

 enormous. The only solution to the problem of elfectually reducing their numbers would seem 

 to be by united action of all the States, or by the Federal authorities taking action. 



' Fisheries of N S. Wales Report for 1907, pp. 5, 10. t Loc. cit., 1907, p. 43. J Loc. cit., 190S, p. 22. 



V^ Loc. cit., 190S, p. 4S. 



