THE FUTURE OF NATIVE AVIFAUNA 



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Pigeon too will survive, though reduced to a few brace. This hardy bird 

 can, I believe, digest almost anything green. I have known them devour 

 immature male Pinus insignis flowers ; I have watched them nibbling 

 the dry fronds of Asplenium flaccidum, and stripping one by one the 

 leaves of laburnums. They also freely feed on white clover leaves ; on 

 fallen forest, newly sown, I have known them grow excessively fat on 

 rape and turnip shaws. Local survivors in the future are likely to 

 obtain a portion of their food during at least a portion of the year on 

 the surface of the run. They will take toll of the settlers' white clover, 

 rape, swedes, and probably oats, to the value of a few pence per annum. 



Fern-birds male and female. 



On shrubs growing at right angles to the cliff face, the silly platform 

 of sticks which serves for a nest, though transparent from above and 

 below, will be safe from rats, weasels, and prowling cats. The Pigeon 

 in his gorge will be secure from man also, for without descent by rope 

 the gunner could not shoot from below ; shooting from above would 

 be mere useless murder, as the birds could not be retrieved. 



A few pair of Black Shag (Phalacrocorax Novae hollandice) will 

 also maintain themselves in certain very high cliffs. The Brown Duck 

 (Anas chlorotis), the Fern-bird (Sphenceacus punctatus), the Philippine 



