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however, starlings become such a nuisance by their depredations 
in the orchards that legal protection is practically abolished. 
Indeed, they are caught and frequently used instead of pigeons 
at shooting matches. For this purpose, I believe, they are 
captured by blocking up the holes by which they get under 
roofs and into barns, or such like places where many roost, 
and taking them during the night. 
It is only within the last few years that Starlings have 
extended their range to the northern portion of the island. I 
believe the first recorded specimens were shot at Evandale 
and Longford. The skins were sent in to the Launceston 
Museum as those of new and unknown species. Down the 
West Tamar, at George Town and Low Head, they are found 
in increasing numbers On the north-west coast. Sassafras 
and Northdown are largely supplied with these birds ; they are 
not generally distributed, confining themselves mostly to the 
grass lands on the coast-line, where they pay close attention to 
worms and grubs. 
The next bird that claims our attention is the English Sky- 
lark {Aiauda arvensis). At Risdon and Glenorchy, a few miles 
from Hobart, Skylarks are to be found in fair numbers. Some 
thirty or forty years ago a number of birds of this species, 
imported from England, were liberated near Newtown, but did 
not thrive. Within the last ten or fifteen years other imported 
birds have been liberated, which multiplied, and their 
descendants are now fairly numerous in the paddocks about 
Newtown, Risdon, Glenorchy, and Brown's River Road, but 
have not extended much beyond these limits. At Sorell they 
are fairly plentiful. A correspondent informs me that a short 
while ago, when going round his paddocks at 4.30 a.m., although 
it was quite dark, with the exception of the remains of the 
moon, which had just risen, a Skylark was joyously singing 
overhead. At the northern end of the island some imported 
Skylarks were liberated some years ago at St. Leonards, about 
five miles from Launceston. Around Cressy, twenty odd miles 
from Launceston, Skylarks are rather plentiful, more so than at 
St. Leonards. They seem to be on the increase at Cressy ; 
recently, numbers were heard filling the air with song. During 
1899 the Northern Tasmanian Acclimatisation Society imported 
some three dozen birds of this species from New Zealand, and 
liberated them in the surrounding districts. Some of the birds 
have thriven well, but others have completely disappeared. 
About the same time the late Mr. R. G. Talbot, of Alalahide, 
Fingal, imported a number from the same place, and liberated 
thems These birds have greatly increased. 
About twenty years since, some common Pheasants {P/iasianus 
colchicus) were imported from England and liberated at Newtown, 
but they soon fell a prey to " pot-hunters." Others were also 
introduced at Entally, where for a time they throve remarkably 
