*7 
duction of the skylark, and I liberated a large number of 
these birds on behalf of the Society at Mt. Ridley, where I 
then resided, some 18 miles from Melbourne, and though 
I frequently saw them and heard their beautiful song for 
some time after their liberation, they gradually disappeared, 
due, no doubt, to hawks and native cats, and I was afraid 
that they had been entirely destroyed, but information has 
been received recently that the lark is fairly numerous and 
frequently seen and heard on Coode Island, near the junc¬ 
tion of the Yarra with the sea, and also in the neighbour¬ 
hood of Brighton. 
Hail to thee, blithe spirit— 
Bird thou never wert— 
That from heaven or near it, 
Pourest thy full heart. 
In profuse strains of unpremeditated art. 
Higher still and higher 
From the earth thou springest, 
Like a cloud of fire, 
The blue deep thou wingest, 
And singing still, dost soar, and soaring, ever 
singest. 
Before passing away from the bird life imported into the 
colony, T must not omit a reference to a bird, which, though 
last, is not least, of its class. T mean the ostrich, which, 
like many other introductions, has been, if not a failure, at 
least only a partial success. The first introduction of the 
ostrich was about coeval with that of the Angora goat. The 
first birds introduced were placed at Sir Samuel Wilson’s 
station, Longerenong. on the Wimmera, but not succeed¬ 
ing there, the remainder that survived were sent to the Mur¬ 
ray Downs Station, near Swan Hill, owned by the Messrs. 
Officer. Under their able care the birds soon increased; 
paddocks were erected for them, and lucerne was grown in 
quantities to supply them with food. After the lamented 
death, of Mr. Suetonius Officer, the propertv was sold, and 
the birds were transferred to the care of Mr. C. M. Officer, 
who has.for some years been an active member of the Coun¬ 
cil of this Society, and this gentleman removed them to a 
property owned by him not far from the Reedv Lake and 
Keran.g, where they are at present, but as the propertv is 
of limited area, the increase is restricted and the flock now 
numbers about 120 birds. The feathers are excellent, and 
command good prices in the. London markets. If persons 
could be found who had suitable country for the purpose, 
