440 THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 



new foods, and new enemies, seem to render it highly improbable 

 that much success would attend the introduction of such birds. 

 There remain the Game Birds. The Pheasant and Partridge 

 preserves of Europe are practically more extensive poultry 

 farms, and the birds are as carefully looked after as the domestic 

 turkey is with us. Where then we can rear turkeys successfully 

 we might rear Pheasants and Partridges. But if liberated in the 

 open, where the Fox and the poison bait are rampant, and the 

 bush fires rage, such simple-minded birds would only be exposed 

 to certain destruction. On the other hand there does seem to 

 be more hope for such birds as Grouse and Quail in our heath 

 lands, which from their poorness of soil are generally left 

 severely alone, and which ought to provide the birds with 

 sufficient subsistence ; though, in order to enable them to persist, 

 an honestly enforced and recognised close season would have to 

 be instituted. And if the birds were once established, we should 

 most likely need a "Lacey Act" such as is in force in the 

 United States, to prevent wholesale slaughter for the 

 supply of the city markets. In any case, introduction of 

 foreign birds should only be effected with great caution, under 

 the auspices and support of the Government, and under expert 

 scientific advice. Casual acclimatisations, as in the past, may 

 easily be productive of as much evil as good. 



