122 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



the discussion which may arise will cause some practical 

 suggestions to be made, 



I think all will agree that some of our birds need protection,, 

 particularly edible birds, such as turkey, swan, duck, plover^ 

 pigeons, quail, etc., otherwise they would be slaughtered all the 

 year round for market, which would soon render them almost 

 extinct. 



But a difference of opinion exists in reference to bright- 

 plumaged birds. I may say that 1 have thought a great 

 deal on this subject of late years, and have come to the 

 conclusion that these bright-plumaged birds are already protected 

 by a law m.ade by the great and wise Creator of all things. 

 These birds are principally sought after by collectors and 

 taxidermists, and to them they are utterly useless until they have 

 reached their fourth year. I have brought specimens to illustrate 

 my meaning. There is the male Rifle Bird, which is one of the 

 most valuable in Australia. Now^ during the first three years of 

 its existence it is of a dull brown colour, exactly resembling the- 

 female. Consequently, no collector would care about taking it 

 during that time. Then, again, the Regent Bird, Satin Bower- 

 Bird, Lyre Bird, King Parrot, Red Lory Parrot, and many others 

 are quite valueless until they are old males. I have, after con- 

 siderable trouble, procured and brought here to-night four male 

 Regent Birds, ranging from one to four years of age, and from 

 them you will easily see the different stages of the development 

 of their plumage. Now, as these birds are rarely taken until: 

 their plumage reaches maturity, and as they commence to breed 

 when twelve months old, you will readily see the protection I 

 refer to. In proof of this, I may mention that 92 Pvifle Birds 

 were brought to Melbourne this season by one collector, and 

 amongst them was only one young male. The same thing 

 applies to all the birds I have mentioned, and most of them are 

 here for your inspection. 



Our insectivorous birds should certainly be accorded some- 

 measure of protection, as they do a very great service 

 to our fruit-growers and farmers, and the only question 

 appears to me to be — what is the best method to adopts 

 The greatest enemies to all birds are those who are reported; 

 to say, " It is a fine day ; let us go out and kill some- 

 thing," and indiscriminate collectors of birds' eggs. It is 

 a well-known fact that boys in the country are in the 

 habit of taking every egg they can possibly find, stringing 

 them into skeins, and hanging them about their homes,, 

 thus destroying hundreds of birds in order to decorate a room. 

 I saw the result of one small boy's excursions the other day, and 

 amongst them were no less than ninety-six magpies' eggs ; and 



