The Zoologist — September, 1874. 4149 



industrious tuis. Not a month afterwards, when slowly sailing up 

 the harbour, one of the children threw a piece of bread to a young 

 gull {L. dominicaims), the only bird in sight: its bark of pleasure 

 brought others, till then unseen, and the wake of our boat was 

 enlivened by an irregular train of noisy attendants. Those species 

 which do not launch lightly in the air when taking flight, we 

 believe, may be ranked among the more silent birds, as, for 

 instance, the cormorants ; birds of this genus seem to need a 

 fulcrum in order to rise upon the wing. The fleet halcyon, too, 

 when its perch is a bough, and it leaves it to dash at its prey, the 

 bough may be seen lo vibrate for some time after it has been 

 quitted. Both of these genera may be fairly classed with the non- 

 vociferous tribes, notwithstanding that the halcyon indulges in a 

 variety of expressive notes during the breeding season, 



I now leave with regret the interesting study of bird-sounds, and 

 trust that others will prosecute further observations ; for there is 

 much to be learnt by the field naturalist about their notes and calls, 

 which would assist in revealing many interesting points in the 

 history of the fauna. In conclusion, let a i'ev{ words be recorded 

 for the preservation of our native fauna. It is a work of difliculty, 

 except with a hw, to get folks interested in this subject; amidst 

 the busy swarm of men pressing onward in the struggle for wealth 

 or position, how iew out of the entire mass would think of turning 

 aside, and thus lose a fraction of the time devoted to the toilsome 

 climb of the social ladder. To those who do give thought to the 

 matter, who consider the changes which the settlement of a country 

 necessarily entails on the physical conditions of that country, 

 rendered evident by local climatic modifications patent to every 

 observer — to those the task of bird-preservation presents a host of 

 difl3cullies. In the first place, there is that vis inertim to be over- 

 come, — that dead weight of inaction so difficult to move, — that 

 lazily finds expression in the sentiment so often uttered, that 

 the disappearance of the native fauna is the natural sequence of 

 Anglo-Saxon colonisation. It is almost needless to observe, the 

 inference is not rendered truer, although i^t may gain greater 

 credence, by much vain repetition. The most striking, not to say 

 alarming, alterations that have rapidly followed the progress of 

 European settlement in some districts are due to the fact that the 

 conservation of forests is either much disregarded or entirely 

 ignored. With the help of the drier nor'-wester, the grandest 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. IX. 2 Y 



