president's address. 35 



adopted in America and Europe for the protection of birds. 

 The Lacey Act, approved by the American Congress in 1900, the 

 broadest and most comprehensive measure ever introduced for 

 the protection of wild birds and animals, contains three main 

 divisions : — 



(1) It places the preservation of birds under the jurisdiction 



of the Department of Agriculture. 



(2) Authorises the Secretary for Agriculture to regulate the 



importation of foreign birds and animals. 



(3) Prohibits interstate traffic in birds killed in violation of 



State laws. 



The results have been effective protection of native game birds, 

 the importation of new game birds, the establishment of national 

 reserves for the protection of birds and animals, and the creation 

 among the people of a strong sentiment in favour of the wise 

 preservation of the avifauna. 



To what extent importance is attached to bird protection in 

 Europe is seen from the fact that the great countries of the Con- 

 tinent have combined to adopt international legislation on the 

 subject. Mainly through the efforts of the Austrian and Hun- 

 garian Governments, all of the Continental nations, except 

 Italy, Russia and Turkey, in 1902, accepted through their pleni- 

 potentiaries a model bird bill to be incorporated in the laws of 

 the several countries. The necessity for common action arises 

 because the land-frontiers of the countries are no barriers for the 

 birds. For the same reason it is eminently desirable that the 

 whole of the Australian State Governments should adopt the 

 same legislation in the matter. It is obviously more effective to 

 protect the birds in all the States than in a few, and it is 

 eminently desirable that destroyers of protected birds in one 

 State should find no refuge against prosecution in an adjoining 

 one. They have found this out in Europe; they have found this 

 out in the United States. We may well follow suit in Australia. 



Difficulties in administration in Russia and in Turkey may 

 explain the non-inclusion of those countries. That Italy, the 

 land traversed twice a year by hosts of migrating birds, should 



