142 
The Emu. 
game and insectivorous birds if its provisions are duly respected 
by an intellioent public. If the law be deemed " a hass," then 
purely on the grounds of national or aesthetic sentiment let not 
our beautiful and interesting feathered friends be molested. 
According to TJie Argus of 31st January, 1902, "Constable 
Neill, on the day previous to the opening of the duck-shooting 
season, went down to Grasse's Swamp disguised as a sportsman, 
and found three Teal in the possession of a man named John 
M'Cauley, who had been out on the swamp in a boat. He at 
first denied having shot them, but afterwards admitted having 
done so. He was brought before the local Court to-day and 
fined 5s., and 5s. for each bird shot ; costs 21s. He was then 
charged by Mr. G. T. Chirnside with trespassing on his land 
with a gun in pursuit of game, this case arising out of the 
previous one. For this he was fined 20s. and 23s. costs." The 
three Teal cost M'Cauley 4s. Rather a small but dear 
bag. 
The Geelong Advertiser reports that " at Lake Modewarre 
Constables Gleeson and Young paid a surprise visit to the lake 
on Tuesday night, and seized two guns from a well-known 
shooter there.* The barrels measured 4 ft. 6 in. in length, being 
one foot over the regulation size. The guns are very weighty 
weapons, and with them has been forwarded a padded support 
to receive the recoil when fired from the bottom of a punt. The 
seizure was made by Constable Gleeson. Constable Young, 
who was in another portion of the lake, saw a second boat put 
out with a similar gun in it. He called upon the man to stop, 
but this he refused to do, and the offender eventually made his 
escape." 
The Shepparton Advertiser^ 31st January, 1902, gives promin- 
ence (nearly a column) to a Quail-shooting case. At the local 
Court Michael Halpin and C. G. Hayes were summoned by 
Sergeant Morris for killing a brace of Quail each during close 
season. The Bench imposed a fine of upon each offender 
bes des 5s. per bird. W. M. Harper was charged with having in 
his possession a Quail in the close season, but on technical 
grounds this case was dismissed. 
Bird Protection in America* 
As mentioned in the first issue of The Eimi, the American Ornith- 
ologists' Union is very active in the matter of protecting bird 
life and preventing its unnecessary destruction. In vol. xix. of 
The Auh (No. i, January, 1902, pp. 31-54) accounts are given 
by Mr. VVitmer Stone and Mr. W. Dutcher of the proceedings of 
the committee appointed for the purpose, recording the work 
* Subsequently the offender, whose name is William Wood, was proceeded against 
by Mr. C. W. ^Iaclean, Chief Inspector of Fisheries. The guns, which cost ;^2i ics., 
were forfeited, and in addition Wood was fined with is. costs. 
