THE VICTOKXAX NATURALIST. 123" 



yet this bird and its eggs are supposed to be protected. The 

 best way to stop this sort of thing would be to bring the matter 

 prominently before the children of the country State schools, 

 showing them the injury they are doing to their parents, and 

 eventually to themselves, by destroying the natural enemies of 

 their insect pests. 



Then, again, during holiday times numbers of young men go 

 for what they call a day's sport, and recklessly shoot down every 

 bird and animal they can come across, in many cases leaving 

 them where they fall. This sort of thing should certainly be put 

 a stop to, and perhaps someone here to-night can suggest the 

 means of doing so. Our Game Act, as it at present exists, is 

 almost useless, for we rarely hear of prosecutions under it, 

 although the birds that are on the list are shot very frequently. 

 One reason for this is want of knowledge on natural history on 

 the part of the policemen. I think I am right in stating that 

 very few guardians of the peace know the difference between a 

 Tawny-shouldered Podargus and a Field Grallina, or a Great Brown 

 Kingfisher and a Southern Stone Plover ; and yet these are all 

 protected. I have actually seen birds that are protected all the 

 year round hanging exposed for sale in a poulterer's shop in 

 Melbourne. The only plan I can suggest to alter this is to have 

 drawings of the birds posted up at every police station, which 

 would soon render the men familiar with them ; or, perhaps, a 

 still better method would be to have specimens of the protected' 

 birds stuffed, in place of drawings, which would be still more 

 instructive. 



In conclusion, I would draw your attention to one more cause 

 of the increasing scarcity of our birds — that is, the drainage of 

 the swamps and the destruction of the forests. I was recently 

 informed by a gentleman who resides at Cressy, near T>ake 

 Corangamite, that adjoining the Strathvean station there were a 

 number of swamps in possession of some selectors. About three 

 or four years ago they were purchased by a squatter, who drained 

 them, and the consequence is that a district that once abounded 

 with birds is now completely deserted by them. This is, of 

 course, a natural result, for if the feeding grounds are destroyed 

 the birds must seek fresh fields and pastures new. 



Natural History Association of New South Wales. 

 — This Association has sprung into being under the auspices of 

 the Sydney School of Arts, and is being energetically taken up. 

 Dr. George Bennett is the president. Dr. Ramsay the vice- 

 president, and on the committee appear the well-known names 

 of Messrs. John Brazier, E. Haviland^ T. Whitelegge, and C. S. 

 Wilkinson. Under such auspices the Association cannot fail 

 to be a success. 



