The Emu. 
69 
tail feathers set in pairs, the upper pair being the longest, and 
gradating to the under pair, which is the shortest. 
I have given the new bird the specific name of litoralis, and 
the vernacular name of " The Lesser Rufous Bristle Bird." 
For comparison I append the following measurements : — 
Total 
length. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Culmen. 
Sphenura broadbenti 10.5 3.7 5 1.4 .7 
Spkenura litomlis 9 3.4 4.5 1.2 .6 
Should Mutton Birds be Protected? 
MUTTON-BIRDING (according to the species of Petrel) has 
almost become a national affair in some parts of New Zealand, 
in Southern Australia, notably on islands in Bass Strait (where 
alone it is reckoned that the number of young birds taken for 
food amounts annually to about 600,000), and on certain islets 
off South-Western Australia. In the interests of these sea-fowl, 
should they be protected } 
Regarding Victoria the question has been brought somewhat 
prominently under notice lately by a sensational letter from 
Air. Charles French, jun., Assistant Government Entomologist, 
which appeared in the Melbourne newspapers anent the wanton 
destruction of these interesting and profitable birds on the 
rookeries on Phillip Island, Western Port. Happily it is 
believed that the cruel cases cited by Mr. French are of rare 
occurrence. However, Mr. French was able to arouse the 
indignation of the Field Naturalists' Club, and it was resolved 
to recommend the Administrator of the Game Act to protect 
the Mutton Birds on the islands off the Victorian coast. Of 
course, there are other interests to be conserved — to wit, those of 
some of the islanders, whose staple food is Mutton Bird flesh and 
eggs when in season — therefore it is apprehended that any 
protection extended to the birds will not be absolute, but 
will merely regulate the traffic in eggs and young birds. 
It was a coincidence that at the recent meeting of the 
Aust. O. U. at Adelaide, when it became known that the next 
annual meeting was to be held at Melbourne, an excursion to 
the rookeries on Phillip Island was casually mentioned, so that 
there would be an opportunity to ascertain whether or not it 
was time to regulate the birding traffic. Some of our older 
ornithologists have been keeping a " fatherly " eye on the 
rookeries on the island for years, to see if there be any 
diminution in the numbers of birds that annually visit the 
place. So far, the result of these casual observations has been 
slightly in favour of the birds. 
It may be mentioned that this season there were an extra- 
ordinary number of egg-gatherers on the Cape WoUomai 
