BIRD SANCTUARIES. 



By A. F. BASSET HULL. 



(Plate II.) 

 The New South Wales Birds Protection Act. I'joi, provides (Sections II and 12) : — 



"Whenever any sheet of water, island, or enclosed land has been or is hereafter set apart 

 by the Government or any private person lor preserving any scheduled birds, the Colonial 

 Secretary may, bj notice in the Gazette, declare such scUmg apart, and may by a like notice 

 cancel such setting apart. 



"After such notice of setting apart whosoever, not being the owner thereof kills captures 

 or injures any scheduled bird within the limits of such water, island, or land shall be liable to a 

 penalty not exceeding live pounds." 



"Scheduled bird means any bird named in the Schedule to the Act, or added thereto by 

 notice published 111 the Gazette." 



While this provision is not as extensive as could be wished, being limited in its applica- 

 tion to "scheduled" birds, it could be utilised to good purpose it there were anj adequate means 

 by which lands so set apart could be properly controlled and supervised. At present, how- 

 ever, the public i= formally notitied, and tnere tne matter ends. 11 areas are set apart by private 

 owners, it is no doubt to tneir interest to see that the Act is respected, but Crown Lands set 

 apart are not placed under tile control ot any special omcer or ranger, unless they are within 

 some park, sucli as the Centennial, or National Parks, where a start is already established. 



The result is that large areas, such as Lake Lrana, Dudal Comer Swamp, and other "Re- 

 serves tor the .Preservation ot .Birds are practically left to look atter themselves, and no sus- 

 tained local effort is made to retain even a tradition as to the reservation. 



la the immediate vicinity of Sydney reserves have been proclaimed in respect of Ueevvhy 

 and Aarrabeen Lagoons, but there is no ranger or inspector specially appointed to watch the 

 interests of the birds. As a consequence, on nolidays, Saturday afternoons, and even on Sun- 

 days, guns are frequently used around tnese Lagoons, and the noble Hock ot Black Swans 

 established there is becoming gradually exterminated, while a Loot, Grebe or even a Silver 

 Gull, cannot safely feed within gunshot ot the shores. If these Lakes were properly guarded 

 for a few seasons they would become stocked with birds, and their natural attractions very 

 largely enhanced. 



On Anniversary Day, 1912, some so-called "sportsmen" shot at the flock of Black Swans 

 on Deewhy Lagoon until they took flight. They settled in the comparatively smooth water at 

 the northern end of 1'reshwater Bay, and the unusual spectacle of twenty-two swans floating 

 within a few yards of the surf-bathers was enjoyed by hundreds of delighted holiday makers. 



Mr. T. S. Palmer, Assistant Chief, United States Biologxal Survey, recently contributed 

 an article to the American Museum Journal (.1) on the National Bird Reservations of the 

 United States. From this paper it appears that in 1910 an Act was passed extending protection 

 to practically all non-game birds in the State of Florida, and in 1903 Pelican Island was re- 

 served and set apart as a preserve and breeding ground for native birds. From this beginning 

 the dedication of bird reservations has extended from Florida and Porto Rico in the South to 

 Michigan, Montana, Washington and Alaska in the North, and the Aleutian Islands and Ha- 

 waii in the West. For purposes of administration these reservations are grouped into districts, 

 and in time each district will be in charge of a supervisory officer or inspector, and probably 

 each of the more important reservations will have a warden to protect the birds, at least dur- 

 ing the breeding season. 



(1) Amer. Mus. Journ., xiii., p. 203, 1913. 



