42 _ THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST, 
is beginning to be recognised as a serious danger—the 
great destruction of our forests without any adequate 
amount of reafforestation. The League hopes to interest 
the general public in this, so that the pressure of out- 
side opinion may force upon the various Governments the 
necessity for replacing the destroyed forests. 
The kindred subject of bird preservation igs also an 
important one. It is scarcely necessary to point out the 
immense value of birds. Their work in keeping down in- 
sect pests is well known. But I think that their value, from 
an esthetic point of view—their beauty, their songs, and 
their interesting habits—is equally important. A bird- 
less world would be a very dull place. 
The destruction that is going on comes under a num- 
ber of heads :— 
1. Justifiable Destruction: Certain birds are pests, and 
must be destroyed. But fortunately few come under this 
head, and of those that do, some are merely local pests. 
For instance, some of the honey-eaterg in fruit districts 
attack orchards and vineyards. But in grain-growing dis- 
tricts these are rather beneficial, for they destroy in- 
sects. Unfortunately, in many instances, birds get a bad 
reputation. The beautiful little kestrel, for example, is 
entirely useful, living on insects, mice, etc., and yet they 
are shot whenever there is a chance. f 
2. Rabbit Poisoning: Here the destruction is inci- 
dental to the destruction of a serious pest, and not inten- 
tional. And yet it would appear that rabbit poisoning 
is not so effectual as other methods—such as digging out. 
Its main recommendation appears to be that it is easy to 
do and cheap. But if it destroys our useful birds it is 
likely to be very dear to the farmer. 
3. The Destruction from Sport: I have heard a well- 
known sportsman tell of killing a thousand quail in one 
season. This is not sport but slaughter. As to the abom- 
inable so-called sport of pigeon shooting, it appears to me 
to be something only suited to savages. 
4, Allied to the last is the shooting of all sorts of 
birds with pea rifles, just for the sake of killing apparently. 
5. I am convinced that collectors both of eggs and 
skins are responsible for a great dea] of bird destruction 
In other countries the field glass and camera are taking 
the place of the gun, and a few of our birdmen are setting 
a good example in-this way. Yet we have amongst us the | 
