Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/106

 Europe, The poisonous nature of a wound from the spur of the male was well known to the aborigines, hut was disputed by some persons, although the orifice in the spur indicated a purpose. Moreover, it was at certain periods only that venom was believed by the natives to be emitted. The dog of the mainland was not found in the island.

Most of the birds, and even the emu, were common in both places. The iish most highly prized by epicures—the trumpeter—was found only on the island coasts, and most frequently at the south; but whiting, flounders, and garfish vindicated the excellence of the fish of the sea, while in the Murray and other rivers of Australia the cod'lisb, a gigantic perch, w^as esteemed by some as a delicacy.

Snakes were so numerous that when Lady Franklin (the wife of a governor), to rid Tasmania of them, oifered a shilling for each snake killed, no less than 14,000 were produced in one year. Where lagoons abounded, and on moist margins of rivers hi Australia, snakes were always numerous. In both countries the hawk tribe destroyed them. One in Australia, a keen but small brown bird, seemed to taku pleasure in the dann;erous sport. Darting down, he seized the snake near the liead with his talons, ' and spreading his wings, the tips touching the ground, with firm but (piivering tension, prevented the coils of the snake from involving him, and thus clutched his victim till