THE TASMANIAN NATURALIST 
*7 
taken of a nest of a Native Hen which gave a fair result. On the 
following day we went round to the other end of Moulting Lagoon for 
the purpose of getting a boat, and so taking some photos of the swans’ 
nests which we had located on our previous visits to the lagoon. We 
found our boatman waiting for us, but were very disappointed when he 
informed us that he did not think we should find eggs in any of the 
swans’ nests which we had located, as, owing to a heavy south-westerly 
gale a week before our arrival, most of the nests had been overturned 
and the eggs sunk in the waters of the lagoon ; and this we found to be, 
unfortunately, true, and we did not succeed in getting a single nest with 
eggs in it. But despite our misfortune in this respect we were amply 
repaid for any trouble we had taken by the sight of the thousands of 
swans which were congregated on that sheet of water, for when the boat 
was suddenly rowed out from behind a sheltering point of land thousands 
of swans rose into the air. The noise of their wings beating the water 
was something to be remembered, and the sight of a line of swans more 
than twenty deep, and which took over seven minutes to pass the boat, 
was one which must be seen to be realized. One of the reasons why we 
took this trip was for the purpose of ascertaining if the annual shooting 
which takes place at this lagoon was endangering the existence of this 
noble bird, and if it was at all likely to exterminate it. In my opinion 
it would not do more than equalise matters, and would certainly not kill 
more than the number of young swans which are annually reared. 
Botanical Dote. 
L. Rodway reports the finding of the rare little Tasmanian fern, 
Hymenophyllum marginatum, H. et G on top of Mount Wellington, 
where it grows amongst hepatics in the crevices of boulders of dikbase. 
Game Protection. 
A PPOINTMENT of Game Commissioners. The Club took an active part 
in a movement during 190S to appoint Game Commissioners to 
carry out the provisions of the Game Protection Act. On 28th Sep¬ 
tember a large deputation waited upon the Premier, when a sympathetic 
reply was given and a request made for a Draft Bill, which was duly 
prepared by a committee and submitted to the Government, but the 
session closed without the Bill being presented to Parliament As this 
is a most important matter it should not be left at this point, but 
brought up again at the first opportunity. 
Black Swans on the Derwent. A letter was forwarded by the Club 
to the Attorney-General, asking for the protection of the black swans at 
