The Emu. 
The article is followed by another — a very important one— 
by Mr. French, on " The Necessity for the Preservation of our 
Insect-destroying Birds," to which is subjoined a list of the 
principal insectivorous birds of Victoria. It w\\\ be noticed that 
the list contains a few unsuitable and obsolete nannes, which 
for educational purposes might now be allowed to drop into 
oblivion in favour of up-to-date nomenclature. By some 
inadvertence, too, the Blue Petrel — an ocean flyer, chiefly 
between the 40° and 60° south latitudes— has been allowed to 
slip into the list of " insectivorous birds," while it perhaps 
would be better to let the Whistling (Tree) Duck and the fine 
Topknot Pigeon (yLopholcemus antarcticus) remain on the ''Native 
Game Schedule." 
The intention to give a coloured figure of one or other of 
the most useful insectivorous birds in each number of the 
Agricultural Joiir7ial is a good one. 
* * * 
In the November number of the Avicultural Magazine the 
Rev. H. D. Astley, M.A., F.Z.S., records the interesting fact of 
a pair of our "Native Companions" having nested in his 
grounds in England. Although many of these birds are kept in 
captivity in Europe, this is the first time any of them have 
made a serious attempt to breed. In May last the pair began 
to build on the margin of a small lake, but afterwards chose 
another site a few yards away. Towards the end of May the 
female laid two eggs, but one of these was stolen and the second 
removed to be incubated by a farmyard hen, who failed to hatch 
it. " In eight days' time the Crane laid the first of a second 
batch of eggs in the same nest as before, omitting, as she had 
previously done, one day between the production of the first and 
second eggs. On this second clutch she sat steadily for ten 
days," when for the second time the eggs were stolen, probably 
by other birds. " Some ten days after the female bird once 
more took up her position on the same nest, which she added 
to slightly and re-arranged In a fortnight the first egg of a 
third clutch was laid, which was again followed by another 
egg two days afterwards. But, alas ! after the Crane had sat 
only a few days the eggs were once more taken. . . . Surely 
that was the end of all things for the first year of the 20th 
century. But in August, about a fortnight after this last 
calamity, the female Australian Crane was once more to be 
seen re-arranging her nest and sitting on it. And once more 
this pertinacious and prolific bird laid, for the fourth time of 
asking, two eggs — quite as fine and large, moreover, as any of 
their predecessors. These eggs also unfortunately disappeared." 
As a forcible instance of " reserve fecundity " the foregoing 
is noteworthy, and when this and the many recorded 
