188 NATURAL HISTOET SKETCHES. 



still be free to wander where he will on land that is not 

 purchased, but let us have proper seasons fixed for 

 killing the game. What is sauce for the goose would 

 then be sauce for the gander it would be as fair for 

 one as another and all who take a pleasure or feel an 

 interest in field-sports out here would be equally bene- 

 fited. When the game of any country becomes a 

 marketable article, and of sufficient value to induce men 

 to devote their whole time to its pursuit as a means of 

 gaining a livelihood, it should in some measure be pro- 

 tected, especially as it is not private property. One 

 might imagine that it would at least be the interest 

 of the shooters themselves to do so at all events 

 to spare the goose that lays the golden egg ; but, un- 

 fortunately, what is everybody's business is nobody's ; 

 and, although they are the first to complain when they 

 find the game decreasing, not one will give himself the 

 sligi .test trouble to keep up the breed. It matters little 

 to me I never expect to have another head of game out 

 of Victoria but I have seen enough in five years' 

 shooting to prove that, unless some steps are speedily 

 taken to preserve the breeding-birds, in a few years none 

 will be left to protect. 



The game list of Victoria should include those birds 

 that are bought up as game, such as the turkey, the 

 ducks, the pigeon, the quail, the snipe, and the rail. 

 There are several other species quite as good for the 

 table as these, but which are hardly considered game, 

 viz., the bittern, the coot, the heron, nankeen crane, 



