CASUAL AND UNPRECISE 127 



Casual and Unprecise 



These observations of mine are admittedly casual and 

 unprecise. Not the life of a single bird or insect has 

 been sacrificed to prove " facts " for personal edification or 

 entertainment. Cases in which points were inconclusive 

 have been allowed to remain undecided. The face of the 

 administrator of the law here is rigidly set against the 

 enforcement of the death penalty, simply because the subject 

 is beautiful, or rare, or " not understood." With the aid of 

 a good telescope and a compact pair of field-glasses, birds 

 may be studied and known far more pleasurably than as 

 stark cabinet specimens, and, perhaps, with all the certainty 

 that the ordinary observer needs. Patience and a magnify- 

 ing glass put less constraint on insects than lethal bottles 

 and pins. 



An observer who was prepared to satisfy doubts with 

 the gun might, possibly with ease, bring up the Bird Census 

 of the island to one hundred and fifty. Such a one may 

 find pleasure in the future in demonstrating how much 

 more than a seventh of the birds of Australia dwell upon 

 or visit the spot. The present era of strict non-interference 

 has resulted in an increase, however small, in the species 

 represented. Whereas in years gone by but two species of 

 sea-birds nested on Purtaboi, now at least six avail them- 

 selves of that refuge. 



Birds that were driven to remote reefs and banks of the 

 Barrier now make themselves at home for three months of 

 the year within hailing distance. Tidings of goodwill 

 towards the race generally are beginning to spread. Glad- 

 ness compels me to record a recent development of the 

 protective laws. Space for the rearing of families at the 

 headquarters of the terns — Purtaboi — having been gradu- 

 ally absorbed during recent years, the overflow — comprising 

 perhaps a thousand amorous birds — has taken possession 

 of the sand spit of Dunk Island. So calm are they in the 

 presence of man, so sure of goodwill, that when tempor- 



