THE FOOD OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



The question as to whether we would be worse off without any sparrows 

 than with them is apparently negatived by the position in Western Australia. 

 The sparrow up to the present time has not reached Western Australia, 

 and yet that State is not any worse off than the Eastern States through their 

 absence. It may be pointed out that whatever attempts are made to destroy 

 sparrows entirely they are bound to be unsuccessful, though the numbers 

 may be materially reduced. 



Magpies. Though occasionally eating wheat, magpies are more essen- 

 tially insectivorous, frequently feeding on locusts or grasshoppers, fly Iarva3, 

 &c. They should be rigidly protected. 



Magpie Lark.- This bird occasionally feeds on maize and wheat obtained 

 near fowl-yards, &c., but it is doubtful whether it touches crops. It is also 

 found to eat plague locusts, grasshoppers, cockchafer larva?, &c. It is one 

 of our foremost useful birds. 



Butcher Birds. These are found frequently to feed on grasshoppers, as 

 well as moths, and in spite of occasionally destroying small birds are 

 obviously useful. 



Silver-eyes. The stomach contents of fifty-five Silver-eyes have been 

 examined. Forty-five of these contained vegetable food, chiefly fruits of 

 various kinds. Thirty-two contained insect food. Amongst the insects 

 occasionally eaten were cabbage moths, froghoppers, psyllids, thrips, aphids r 

 black scale, and plant bugs. During the fruit season there is not the 

 slightest question that the Silver-eye does a very considerable amount of 

 damage to orchards. By feeding on the fruits of such pests as blackberries 

 and lantana and passing the seeds in their droppings, Silver-eyes act as 

 potent disseminators of these and other plants. However, during the season 

 when fruit is not ripe they apparently serve a definitely useful purpose 

 in destroying certain insect pests. As energetic measures adopted for the 

 destruction of Silver-eyes have never yet been successful in materially 

 reducing their number in any locality there is little likelihood, whatever 

 action be taken, of eliminating this bird from any particular part. 



From an assessment of its value it may be safely stated that energetic 

 means should be adopted to keep the birds away from fruit during the 

 fruiting season; in this way the fruit may be saved, but these attempts 

 are not likely to successfully eliminate all the birds from the orchard 

 affected. The birds that remain will during the rest of the year serve the 

 orchardists in good stead by helping to keep down insect pests. 



Quails. Of the four species of quail examined three showed that they 

 fed on grass seeds and occasionally wheat grains ; the amount of grain eaten 

 is probably negligible, especially when it is considered that quail are never 

 very plentiful. 



Pigeons and Doves. These are seed and fruit eaters, and none are of 

 definite economic importance either as useful or obnoxious birds. 



'Pectoral Rail This bird appears of some value, as grasshoppers and 

 cutworms have been found in the stomach contents. 



