AGAIN THE CATS

Grey River Argus, 28 August 1939, Page 4

AGAIN THE CATS

H PREYING ON BEAUTIFUL BIRDS. Australians, as well as New Zea- ■ landers, have much cause to complain ’■ about the killing of birds by cats in 1 the bush. ' Mr J. R. Kinghorn, ornithologist of J the Australian Museum, said recently that the fox and, cal were more des'.tructive than the natural enemies of the lyre-bird such as the goanna, ' which at an occasional egg, or the carpet snake, which might devour a young bird. Throughout Australia, the lyre-bird, i and its egg, were protected, and lhe depredations of egg-col lectors, extensive until a few months ago, had been 'checked. The bird laid only one egg a year. i I The more the habit some people had. of abandoning oats in the busn or elsewhere, could be controlled, the bettor the chances for the lyre-bird’s preservation. I Many motorists, launch-users and I others in New Zealand have been) | guilty of leaving unwanted cals in 10-' I calities near bush. There are also J many "strays” from camps and other) ' habitations. '