xxxvii 



in the way of asking Mr. Wragge to come to Tasmania, nor in extend- 

 ing to him a free railway rags, but the Government was in no 

 position to contribute to his expenses. A report from Mr. Wragge 

 as to the establishment of a meteorological and astronomical observatory 

 would be of great value to the Government and the Royal Society. 

 When the scheme was fully complete, however, it would be quite soon 

 enough to submit it to the Government. 



THE DESTRUCTION OF BLACK SWANS, 



The deputation, on leaving the Chief Secretary's office, went down to 

 interview the Attorney-General (Hon. A. I. Clark) in reference to the 

 wholesale destruction of black swans, and Sir James Agnew, in 

 introducing them, said that their object was one which should have 

 the sympathy of every member of the community. They wanted to 

 protect froai destruction one of the most interesting birds in Tasmania. 

 The destruction of black swan was admittedly carried on in a barbarous 

 manner about Swansea. At one time these birds existed in the colony 

 in great numbers, but of late years their destruction had been carried 

 on in a barbarous manner, for not only were they shot down in great 

 numbeis, but they were allowed to lie and rot, and their nests were 

 robbed of the eggs. This was very destructive, because nothing was 

 calculated to drive away birds from their haunts so much as robbing 

 their nests, as no doubt the Attorney-General knew perfectly we'l. 

 Perhaps the shooting of the birds was not so bad as robbing their 

 nests. The only way to accomplish the object in view was to stop the 

 destruction of the birds for one or two years at the outside. By 

 that time the birds would be hack again to their haunts, and people 

 would be shown the evil of their ways, and a better state of public 

 feeling would prevail. 



Colonel Legge, as the Tasmanian member of the Australasian Com- 

 mittee for the Preservation of Native Fauna, said that since coming 

 to Hobart he had taken the opportunity of writing to the Royal 

 Society laying before the Council the information he had lately 

 received at Swansea, and he could fully bear out everything said by 

 Sir James Agnew. One of the greatest resorts of the black swan in 

 Australasia was the Moulting Lagoon. At the beginning of the season 

 people went there from 50 miles round to shoot, and there was great 

 slaughter, Not half the birds shot could be taken away. The birds 

 were driven some distance and then shot, being left to rot. It was 

 stated that swans were not decreasing in the bay, but he found that 

 they were becoming more scarce year by year in the outlying waters. 

 If the birds were protected for two years, it would enable them to 

 come back again. It was not only shooting the swans in such a 

 wholesale manner, but there was the mischief of taking the eggs. 

 The people who committed these depredations suffered a loss, because 

 the swan was a really valuable article of food. 



The Attobney-Genebal : The birds come under 

 Act, don't they ? 



the present Game 



Colonel Legge : Oh, yes ; and it is penal, as you know, to take the 

 egg of a game bird. 



The Attobney-Genebal : I suppose if the Game Act was stringently- 

 enforced it would be sufficient protection ? 



