22 
The Queensland Na urali^t. 
March, 1923- 
One coming to the garden will bring a number of others. 
Emus are destro'ved mobCly for their otfence of pear- 
spreading. You Avould exterminate the big curious bird? 
]kit what of the ci-ow and the mountain magpie — both 
lovers of the pear fi'uit and hmh of long tiigbt? The. bower 
and many other birds show a fondness for the pear. I 
hold that it is impoHa’ible and foolish to think to prevent 
the spread of this pest by destroying any of the feathered 
race, (diecdc bird life, and where would we be? 1 have 
watched the siual'ler kind of black cockatoos using their 
beaks to fear otf bits of bark from the myall trees and 
eagerly devouring the grubs found arndierneatli, thus 
preserving the life of these trees, which are most usefu] 
for feeding stock in time of drought. Each bird, to 
the tiniest wreip luui its mission, and how soon the little 
birds know tliey ’w’dl not be harmed. Two little wrens 
came to our garden and stayed most of the winter, at 
least one did. The other, evidently the male, as darker 
feathers were beginning to sliow in his perky tail, 
dis'ai)pcarcd, probably a prey to some eat or larger bird. 
The solitary wee mate soon learned to eome on the 
verandah, and would hop foarle^sly about near the door, 
picking up ciaimbs of bread, wliteh we loved to throw it. 
The peewees, too, liked their crumbs, and would hang 
round the back kitchen door most of the morning. Pro- 
tect tile birds I Indeed we must. Nature's laws decree 
that tile bigger feed on the lesser, and the small on the 
still smaller. Is man over all? Then let him see to it 
that he protects those which are our helpers^ those feath- 
ered friends of ours who bihghten our lives by their sweet 
happy notes, and whose constant Avork is in our interests. 
The man on the laiul has hard rows to plough. Nature 
fights him on all sides; s'till by way of eompensatiou, a 
sop she tbroAv.s in as it Averc, the birds, whose eoinibined 
forces keep in check tlie insect life which otherwise 
Avould destroy a'll vegetable groAAdh, Avould render life 
impossible iiinder such circumstancea And noAA^ as T lay 
aside my pen there comes the soft constant call of the 
jieacefnl dove adding its voice as it Avere in supplication 
of our protection. 
