246



The 'protection of bird life.



addresses on this subject, and he can give evidence that would

show the necessity, on grounds of national economy, to protect our

wild birds.


The sheep-fly is becoming the curse of our great pastoral

industry. Its appearance synchronises with the disappearance of

many of the birds that would keep the fly in check.


I personally have comparatively little loss from sheep-fly, but

all the same I have much trouble in combating it. The Starlings

seem to help to check this plague, yet I know that in other parts

the Starlings are abundant and seem to produce no mitigation.


Investigation on this subject is needed before one can give

any opinion of value. This I do know — -that on the Snowy River

the insect life that abounds in the air is of the wasp and gnat

species, and these, or some of them, attack blowflies. It may be

said that bird life would destroy these gnats and wasps. So it

happens; yet there seems to be so far no disturbance of Nature’s

balance. I am satisfied, too, that the birds prefer the bigger fly

to the swift flying and small gnat.


Rabbit-poisoning is blamed for the destruction of our native

birds. It may be a well-founded blame, yet I am bound to say that

I have seen no dead birds after the poison-cart has been used at

Jindabyne, but care has always been taken so as to bury the baits

well— using a deep furrow and a heavy covering chain. Dead rabbits

undoubtedly breed the flies, but the offal from rabbits trapped for

market or for skins does the same. Personally, I think that whilst

the rabbits dead and alive have materially contributed to the fly

increase, yet if the bird life of the country were thoroughly protected

we should overcome that increase.


The foxes undoubtedly destroy many birds and have increased

the factors that tend to the extinction of bird life. Still foxes can

be kept down fairly easily if a landowner tries, and the destruction

of foxes should be carried on as part of the day’s work.


No effort ever has been made to do the main thing, viz.

to protect the bird life of Australia, and unless it is done this

continent will become a land of plagues that will force attention

to the necessity for obedience to Nature’s law preserving the balance

of life in order to permit agriculture and other industries on the



