lifting from the mere renaming of a few handfuls of skin and feathers. … We confuse nomenclature and ornithology, forgetful that the names, which should be the tools of the ornithologist, may easily become the playthings of the systematist. … There is more serious work on hand than the naming of sub-species if the advance of ornithology is to keep pace with that of kindred sciences."
Close Season for Native Game in Victoria.
Reference was made in the last issue of The Emu (pp. 198-9) to the alteration of close seasons for Ducks and Quails in Victoria, and pointing out that an egregious blunder had been made.
The Government, having the courage of its opinion, be it said to its credit, now admits that a serious mistake was made in opening the shooting season for these birds earlier than usual. It is too late to remedy the evil this season, as far as Ducks are concerned, but in future the close season will extend until the end of January, while it will be illegal to shoot Quails in any part of Victoria before the 1st April.
Dr. T. J. Ryan, Nhill, a keen sportsman and observer of bird-life, states that it has been a most exceptional year for birds of all kinds in the Wimmera district, and, on that account, instead of opening the season earlier, from a national point of view it would have been better to have had no open season this year; thereby native game would have enjoyed a great chance of multiplication. This very excellent suggestion in favour of the birds may commend itself to the Government the next prolific season there is for bird-life in the State.
The Government of the day may always rely on the hearty co-operation of the Australasian Ornithologists' Union, and doubtless of other associations having kindred aims, in the matter of the proper protection of birds.
Correspondence.
ANOMALOUS CLOSE SEASONS.
To the Editors of The Emu.
Sirs,—Reverting to the close season for Duck in New South Wales, it will be seen in The Emu, vol. ii., p. 194, in the comparative table of "close seasons" for game in the different States, that Ducks are protected from 1st August to 31st January, but on my arrival in the Riverina district I was surprised to find that Duck-shooting was in full blast on the 28th December. The local Game Inspector stated that the New South Wales Act permitted shooting on that date. Who is correct? Many Ducklings a few days old were seen, particularly Black Ducklings, and large numbers of "flappers" were in evidence, as is usual at that time of year.—I am, &c,
Melbourne, 1/2/04.
