Another birding gem found while undertaking corrections in Trove:
Queanbeyan Age, Saturday 7 August 1875, page 4 re the County of Murray:
'With features so varied as those of the county we are describing—with abundance of water, and large expanse of forest and plains —it is to be expected that it is the resort of varieties of fish and game. In these respects indeed the county is highly favoured.
On the rivers and lagoons, and pre-eminently so on the vast waters of Lake George, abundance of water-fowl exist, such as ducks, widgeon, teal, swan, pelican, &c., &c., whilst on the swamps, and plains and in the forests, turkeys, pigeons, quail, snipe, &c.
&c, are to be met with, and frequently form a good bag to the enthusiastic sportsman. Kangaroo, wallaroo, and wallaby literally infest certain parts of the county. The former are hunted on horseback with hounds, and the sport, partakes much of the character
of that of the stag hunt, though the number of dogs used in the chase is much less. Wallabies, a smaller species of kangaroo, are more generally shot after the manner of rabbit shooting; but as their habitat is generally on rocky mountain heights, the sport
is much more hazardous and fatiguing. The average shooting is from 30 to 40 skins per day and parties of six or eight frequently return with 1000 skins and upwards as the result of a few days' shooting. Fishing is also a favourite pastime in this county, the
rivers abounding with splendid cod, perch, and bream: and nothing can scarcely surpass the pleasure enjoyed by the genuine disciple of good old Isaak (sic) Walton during a night's fishing in the Murrumbidgee or Queanbeyan Rivers.'
David
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David McDonald
1004 Norton Road
Wamboin NSW 2620
Australia
E:
M: 0416 231 890 (national)
M: +61 416 231 890 (international)
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