6 A BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SUBVET, 



by delegates from the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia and Japan. 

 All these contracting Governments agreed to take measures to see that proper 

 protection was enforced and the convention was to last tor fifteen years irom the 

 15th December, 1911 . 



The value of insectivorous birds is a matter quite beyond dispute. We know. 

 however, very little of the individual value of most of our birds. Our Depart 

 ment of Agriculture has published a Science Bulletin, No. 15, "The Food of 

 Australian Birds, an investigation into the character of the Stomach and Crop 

 Contents." It is valuable as far as it goes; but many of the birds the stomachs 

 of which were examined were shot about gardens and homesteads at all hours of 

 the day. They should have been shot in their native haunts in the early morn- 

 ing, when their food was fresh and undigested. 



A Bureau such as 1 advocate would deal with the value of insectivorous birds 

 from all points of view, but there are many other important questions that would 

 also come under their control. Among them, as subjects for investigation L 

 would outline the following: — 



The Commercial Value of Game Birds. — From a national standpoint this is 

 one of the most valuable, for we should be able to promote the building up of a 

 large supply of food. 



The food value of game birds, wild ducks, wild geese, bustards, swans, plover, 

 quail, and snipe, has never been considered by our legislators. Under proper re- 

 gulations our wild game could be as plentiful upon our table during the open sea- 

 son as fish, and would realise a large revenue to our States. A royalty upon all 

 game shot or a gun tax for all persons who shoot for pleasure or profit, would 

 not affect the man on the land, and would bring in revenue sufficient to pay the 

 salaries of game wardens or rangers, whose duties would be to see that our so- 

 called sanctuaries were real homes for the wild game, and to prosecute all 

 poachers . 



We have in all our States large tracts of public and private land, forest, 

 lakes, swamps and coastal estuaries that have been proclaimed sanctuaries. In a 

 Supplement of the Government Gazette, "Birds and Animals Protection Act, 

 1918" (January, 1919), the definition of the proclaimed sanctuaries covers two 

 pages. These are, however, under present conditions, only sanctuaries in name; 

 they are without direct supervision, and any poacher can enter and shoot with 

 little fear of detection. 



The Marsupial Shin and Fur Trade. — The enormous value of the skins, and 

 furs of our kangaroos, opossums, and other marsupials) can only be realised 

 by studying the trade returns as issued by our home and foreign sellers. The 

 fecundity of all our marsupials is something marvellous, for in a land of almost 

 perpetual summer and normal food conditions they breed the whole year round. 

 Instead of being a pest, under proper regulation such as the deer in California are 

 heated, they should bring in a large revenue to the Treasury. Their skins and 

 furs bring in many thousands of pounds annually; but who gets the money? 

 Should not the State get some royalty on the wild game which does not belong to 

 the individual but to the State as a whole? 



On the last list of Furred Skins Sales issued in Dalgety's Weekly, opossum 

 skins, first blue, are quoted at 125 shillings a dozen; second quality 90 shillings. 

 and third quality 70 shillings per dozen. At one of the recent fur sales in St. 

 Louis, U.S.A., some of our opossum skins brought 30 shillings each at auction. 

 Large kangaroo skins brought from 90 to 121 pence each, wallaroos from 10 to 70 

 pence each, swamp wallaby 35 pence, and scrub wallabies from 15 to 20 pence 

 each . 



