20 



The Sheep-Fluke. 



Some of the relations of the Australian Fauna to the Fluke-pest. 



Has the sheep-fluke any enemies or friends among our native birds and 



animals ? Do any of our 

 native animals harbor the 

 fluke ? Do any of them prey 

 upon it ? Can we derive any 

 benefit from any of these 

 relationships ? These are 

 questions which I have sought, 

 gun in hand, to answer, and 

 with such good effect that 

 I am able to lay before the 

 reader records of facts both 

 interesting and valuable. The 

 indigenous birds and animals 

 and those introduced from 

 Europe have been carefully 

 districts, and record made of 

 their habits, their food, and 

 their parasites. As soon as I 

 had discovered that one of 

 our native snails harbored the 

 intermediate form of the sheep- 

 fluke, the question, " What 

 enemies has this snail?" be- 

 came important enough to 

 demand special notice, and 

 as I have been fortunate 

 „^ , ^ ,, „ „ enough to obtain at least a 



" Introduced from Europe. ,.'=', • . i • j.- 



partial answer to this question 

 through observation son native 

 birds, I will begin the account of the relations of the Australian fauna to the 

 fluke-pest by an account of some of these feathered friends. 



"These are questions I Iiave sought, ^'un 

 in hand, to answer." 



examined as they occurred in fluke-infested 



The Mud-lark and other Snail-eating Birds. 



Through nearly the whole of Australia the vicinity of fresh water is 

 enlivened by the presence of the Magpie-lark or Pee-wee, a bird of such con- 

 siderable size, and such striking black and white plumage, of such engaging 

 manners, and such common occurrence, as to have secured, not only the 

 attention, but also the kind regard of all our country people. 



Let us add at once that the cold and critical scrutiny of science not only 

 confirms the favourable impression this bird's appearance and good manners 

 have created, but even heightens his reputation by proving him to be a great 

 benefactor. From being reckoned a rather useless member of the feathered 

 world, our investigations have placed him in the category of the most 

 useful ; and as this promotion arose almost solely from an examination 

 into the food-habits of the bird, it may not be thought out of place if we 

 set still another example of a method of studying birds that is now-a-days 

 all too rare. 



We require to know much more about the habits of the common birds in 

 their relation to man. Grant that the feathering of rare birds is a very 



