1^2 Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. [ist Ian 



Native Pheasants, Emus, Laughing Jackasses, Magpies, Pigeons, 

 and Curlews. The Act applied to within the limits of counties 

 and hundreds, and did not apply to the "out-back" country. 

 Half the amount of the fines imposed went to those giving informa- 

 tion leading to the conviction of offenders, and half to the Crown. 

 This Act held good for some time, but it was not respected, I am 

 afraid, as it should have been. 



In 1871 a movement was started to bring in a more com- 

 prehensive measuje, which was called the Oyster Fishery and 

 Game Bill. The late Sir WiUiam (then Mr.) Morgan and the late 

 Sir Henry (then Mr.) Ayers helped the project. (Dr. A. M. 

 Morgan, whose interest in native birds is well known, is a son of 

 Sir William Morgan.) Mr. M. Symonds Clark, also well known in 

 Adelaide as a bird-lover and protector, came in touch with the 

 legislators, and suggested alterations to the bill to make it more 

 workable. The most noteworthy suggestion was that all birds 

 be brought under partial protection by inclusion instead of 

 exclusion, those whose habits seemed objectionable to the 

 producers being named. Thus a cumbersome bill, with 17 

 headings for protected birds alone, was reduced. The birds 

 excluded from protection were Eagles of all species. Hawks of all 

 species exceeding the size of the Nankeen Kestrel, Crows, Black 

 Magpies, Wattle-Birds, Silver-eyes, Yellow-crested Cockatoos, 

 Rosella Parrots, and Water-Hens . Lest some of the birds 

 included in the protected list should become obnoxious to pro- 

 ducers, Mr. Clark proposed that provision be made to allow 

 " killing and taking " of the birds in any garden, vineyard, or field 

 of corn. He spent much time urging members of Parliament to 

 accept the measure, but much opposition was raised, and it was 

 not until 1874 that the bill became law. Thus another step in 

 the bird protection of South Australia was accomplished. In 

 1886 a third measure was passed to remedy small defects in the 

 working of the 1874 Act. This Act in time also showed its 

 imperfections, and in 1893 a bill was prepared by Mr. (now Sir) 

 J. L. Stirhng, and iniroduced into the Upper House. Its passage 

 however, was blocked. Thenceforward the cause of the birds was 

 championed by bird-protection societies which had come into 

 existence — namely, the Native Fauna and Flora Protection Com- 

 mittee of the Field Naturalists' Section of the Royal Society, with 

 Mr. Arthur F. Robin as first secretary, and, later, Mr. M. Symonds 

 Clark ; the British Society for the Protection of Birds (Adelaide 

 branch), with Mrs. John Playford as secretary. Of both these 

 societies I was an active member (on the committees), and made 

 every effort, both officially and privately, to interest the people in 

 the study of birds generally. Lime-light lectures were given, and 

 the press was utilized to forward the movement. In 1897 Mr. 

 Clark and I went into the matter carefully, and drew up a com- 

 prehensive bill. As the title, " Game Act," of the previous measure 

 seemed to remind some people of the stringent " game laws " 

 of England, we decided that the title of the new measure should 



