^°'inio^' ] Bird Sancluaries. 121 



the number of grasshoppers or locusts consumed in one day by 

 the parents and young at approximately 482,000,000, in addition 

 to vast numbers of caterpillars and snails ; and we have to 

 remember that this is going on more or less all over the Common- 

 wealth, and that if it were not for our birds insect life would be 

 so plentiful that we would find it difficult to grow fruit, for 

 instance; and even now we have to use artificial means to reduce 

 our insect pests, largely on account of the paucity of birds. 

 This all tends to show the urgent necessity of proclaiming bird 

 sanctuaries ; each particular class of country should have one, 

 especially in the more thickly populated States. 



New South Wales has lately formed a " Wild-life Protection 

 Society," the main object of which is to protect native birds ; and 

 it is much needed, as near the Murray River in that State are 

 extensive swamps, which form the breeding-ground of many 

 water-fowl, including the beautiful Egret. It is there that so 

 much destruction has been caused to these birds during the 

 nesting season, for the sake of their plumes. There are at 

 present in this State 18 smaller reserves, mostly for water-fowl, as 

 well as three large parks — the Centennial, National, and Kurai- 

 Kai — containing a total area of over 80,000 acres, as well as 

 Warren, Dubbo, and Lismore districts, having a total area of 

 61,655 acres. The number of these areas will probably soon be 

 increased largely by private owners having their properties pro- 

 claimed bird sanctuaries. 



Victoria is also well to the fore in protecting her avifauna, and 

 the Education Department has inaugurated a Bird Day in con- 

 nection with the State schools, and is also forming a Gould 

 Society among the children ; any child on payment of a penny 

 can become a member, and will have a printed card given it, and 

 from time to time illustrated leaflets. Nature study classes have 

 also been inaugurated among the teachers, and much attention is 

 being devoted to birds. A handlist of Victorian birds, with a 

 short description of each species, has been published by the 

 Department. This work will be illustrated later, and should 

 prove a valuable help. Much information on this subject is 

 also being disseminated through the medium of the State school 

 papers. 



Then there is the Bird Observers' Club, an organization which 

 seeks to popularize bird study, and in so doing to protect the 

 birds. At present there are 23 reserves, containing a total area 

 of 123,989 acres, in which no destruction of bird life is permitted. 

 One of them, Wilson's Promontory, containing 91,000 acres, has 

 been fenced to exclude wild dogs and foxes, and a caretaker, 

 who is a bird-lover and well versed in wild life, has been placed 

 in charge. Besides these reserves, many private owners have 

 had suitable portions of their properties proclaimed as reserves 

 for game, and these, as well as the Government reserves, are 



