232



Sir Joseph Carruthers,



is ploughed in quickly it becomes a great attraction not only to the

Black-headed Gulls, but to the larger species too, which somehow

find it out, and come inland in large numbers, so that it is not

unusual to see two hundred Gulls on a single field, and that even

in mild weather, when there ought to be no shortness of other food.

Whether these Gulls are to be regarded as migrants or as partial

residents is hard to say.


In this connection reference may be made to the Report

recently issued by the Suffolk and Essex Fishery Board on the food

of Gulls, and since brought before the Norwich Museum Association,

in which the foregoing analysis (p. 231) of a number of dissections is

given.



THE PROTECTION OF BIRD LIFE.*


By Sir Joseph Carruthers.


Some five years ago I had a conversation with Mr. Holman

and interested him in the matter of legislating to protect our bird

life. He promised me that he would introduce a Bill to Parliament

for that purpose, and on three occasions the matter w r as mentioned

in the Governor’s Speech on the opening of a Session. The great

war intervened, and no doubt has caused the matter to be relegated

to the background.


I would not now revive the question at this time if it were

not that I regard it as even more necessary now, than ever before,

to legislate to protect our birds. After the war food will be required

for man and beast in greater quantities than the world may be

able to produce. Also every country will be in need of increasing

its production not only to feed its people, but to make money to

pay its war charges. Moreover, cattle and sheep will be in more

demand than ever, and anything that will increase the numbers will

be an immense help to any country.


I propose to show that we can increase production of crops



* Communicated by Mr. R. Colton, from the ‘ Sydney Daily Telegraph ’ of

October 12th, 1917. Sir Joseph Carruthers was formerly Premier of New

South Wales.



