322 
SIXTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIVE 
FAUNA AND FLORA PROTECTION COMMITTEE 
OF THE FIELD NATURALISTS' SECTION OF THE 
ROYAL SOCIETY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 
The last report of your Committee referred to the pro- 
posed steps to be taken for obtaining some much-desired al- 
teration in the Birds’ Protection Act, a Bill for the amend- 
ment of which had been introduced by Mr. Herbert, M.P. 
That gentleman, however, was afraid that the Committee's 
amendments might interfere with the passing of his Bill, 
which was intended to apply chiefly to the Northern Terri- 
tory, and it was decided to await a more favourable oppor- 
tunity for action in the matter. Тһе Bill was assented to 
on October 30, 1903, and gave power to alter by proclama- 
tion the close season for birds in the whole, or in any por- 
tion of the State; provided for the licensing of bird catchers 
in the Northern Territory; and made illegal the use of guns 
of a larger bore than No. 8 or of a greater weight than 15 Ib. 
Up to the present time no proclamation has been made, but 
the necessary action for bringing the Act into operation will 
shortly be taken by the Government. 
During the last session of Parliament a Bill for the better 
protection of fisheries was brought in, which provided, among 
other things, for the payment of capitation fees for the des- 
truction of pelicans, cormorants, and turtles. Some members 
of the Committee strongly urged upon the gentleman under 
whose direction the Bill had been drawn the desirability of 
omitting the pelicans from the ban thus placed upon them, 
pointing out that their numbers had already been enor- 
mously reduced without any apparent benefit, and protesting 
against any attempt to exterminate these magnificent birds. 
The Bill was not passed last session, but has again been in- 
troduced, and your Committee are pleased to learn that, in 
deference to their representations and to those of a well-known 
Victorian ornithologist, who was consulted, the pelicans are 
not mentioned in the new Bill. 
The Hon. Mr. Pascoe last week introduced a Bill for 
amending the Game Act, the object of which—to provide a 
close season for opossums—is much to be commended. 
The Committee regret that so far the Commissioners of 
the National Park have not been able to carry out one of 
the chief objects the Committee had in view when they ob- 
tained the grant of the Park, namely, the establishment of a 
breeding-ground for some of our native mammals. They sin- 
cerely hope the Commissioners will take this important mat. 
ter into their immediate consideration, and that a sufficiently 
large area of the land may be securely enclosed for the pur- 
pose. SAML. Drxon, Chairman. 
M. SYMONDS Crank, Hon. Secretary. 
Adelaide, September 19, 1904. 
