INTRODUCTION. 



THii purpose of this book is not to catalogue or to scientifically 

 describe our native birds ; but to bring prominently before the public, 

 the police, and others in authority, and more especially the children 

 in our State, those of our protected native birds that most often fall 

 victim.s to thoughtless boys and sportsmen. The birds have been 

 figured as true to nature as the skill of artist and color printer will 

 allow, in order that they may be readily recognised when met with 

 in the bush or found in the possession of persons who have broken 

 the law. 



For the benefit of children all technical terms have been omitted, 

 and the descriptions of the birds couched in the simplest language. 

 The descriptions, it is hoped,, will help them to recognise and protect 

 their feathered friends from harm. 



This book owes its origin to the efforts of j\Ir. Thos. Dufifield, 

 Secretar}^ to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, who is a true bird 

 lover, and who has been anxious for a long while to prevent the 

 wanton destruction year by year of a great national asset — our native 

 birds. 



Fortunately we have in South Australia an ever-increasing number 

 of bird observers, who regard bird protection not only from the point 

 of view of the bird lover, but also from that of the economist, and do all 

 that lies in their power to prevent the extinction of our most valuable 

 birds. Yet it is feared that, unless the importance of bird life be 

 made more widely known, the extermination of some of the species 

 will become inevitable. 



Already the inallec fowl, otherwise known as the lowan and 

 native pheasant, is fast becoming extinct owing to the foolish whole- 

 sale destruction of the eggs.* The killing of our wading birds each 

 year not only renders South Australia ever more prone to plagues 

 of grasshoppers, but is most certainly a prime cause of the decline 



*Also since the introduction of the fox into Australia these birds have greatly diminished in 

 number. The fox destroys not only the birds, bu( their eggs, which are laid in a depression on 

 the top of a mound of earth and leaves scratched logetiicr by the birds. 



