82 
The Wedge-tailed Eagle (Eagle-hawk), is a much 
maligned bird. Although it sometimes takes lambs, the 
good work it does in destroying small animal pests off- 
sets any harm that it may do. During a plague of rats 
in N.W. Queensland a short time ago, it did great work 
destroying these rodents. In rabbit country it lives 
almost entirely on rabbits. The Wedge-tailed Eagle is 
fully protected in Tasmania, while in Western Australia 
and Queensland a bounty has been placed on its head. 
Tn parts of Victoria also, it has been declared yermin. 
It would be interesting to know whether experts were 
consulted before this action was taken or whether it was 
done without full knowledge of the bird’s habits. Under 
the bonus system in Queensland, several thousand of 
these beautiful birds are being killed annually. 
Some years ago. an official raid was made on the 
Emu in Queensland by the offer of a bonus. From 1st 
February, 1926, to 1st Deeember, 1928, a total of 131.768 
Emus and 109,345 eggs was destroyed. In “Birds and 
Green Places”, Alec. If. Chisholm wrote, “And while 
this holocaust was in progress, an entomologist found 
2,991 injurious caterpillars in the stomach of one emu !’’ 
Even the despised Grow has its advocates. Giving 
evidence before the Commission on the Pastoral Indus- 
try, a retired stock inspector said that Crows should he 
protected by law. They were, the sheepmens’ friends 
and devoured millions of maggots, potential blow-flies, 
thus saving vast numbers of sheep. 
It is surely time that more drastic steps should he 
taken to conserve our useful birds, which would he 
regarded as national treasures in other countries. The 
remedies suggest themselves — greater stress should be 
laid on the value of birds in schools, more publicity 
should be. given to bird protection, and vigorous police 
action should he taken against offenders. 
ERRATA. 
Attention is drawn to the following orthographic errors in 
"The Queensland Naturalist," Vol. 14, No. 3. 
P. 57, line 3, for Euvandra read Euvanda. 
P. 60, line 20, for whiteana read whiteanum. 
These are "unintentional orthographic • errors" in the sense 
of Art. 70 of the International Rules of Botanical Nomenclature. 
