HJ McCooey 1886-1887

H. J. McCooey part 6

June 12, 1886 - SOLDIER BIRDS.

OUR NATIVE TREES.
Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW)
Date: June 12, 1886
Page Number: 29

MEGAPODES, BRUSH TURKEYS, AND MALLEE HENS .
Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW)
Date: June 19, 1886
Page Number: 33

THE GARRULOUS HONEY-EATER.
Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW)
Date: June 26, 1886
Page Number: 29

I am sorry to notice that Mr.Blackman, of Cooyal, does not quite understand me in reference to the abovenamed bird. It is known, I think, to nearly every one in Australia as the "Old Soldier," or miner, and to ornithologists as the Myzantha garrula. Its specific name, garrula, is highly applicable, as it is the most garrulous and noisy bird in the bush. Now, Mr. Blackman contends that it is "an inveterate enemy of fruitgrowers," thereby implying by logic that it is a carpophagous bird. It is on this point alone that I join issue with him, and contend that the bird belongs to the family Meliphagidae, or honey-eaters.

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Because Mr. Blackman has seen this bird on fruit trees, or even pecking the fruit, he must not deduce that it is carpophagous or lives on fruit, for it is the honey or saccharine matter about the fruit—not the fruit itself—that attracts the bird. Because we see a sheep licking a lump of rock salt we do not conclude that it lives on minerals, and the logic in each case is precisely the same.

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INTERESTING TRUTHS OF AUSTRALIAN
NATURAL HISTORY.
Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW)
Date: July 10, 1886
Page Number: 28

July 10, 1886 - FRUIT-EATING BIRDS.

July 17, 1886 - THE SOLDIERBIRD A FRUIT EATER.

July 24, 1886 - FRUIT-DESTROYING BIRDS.

July 31, 1886 - THAT SOLDIER BIRD AGAIN.

AUSTRALIAN BIRDS.
GREAT AUSTRALIAN CRANE (Grus Australasianus).
Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW)
Date: August 7, 1886
Page Number: 27

H. J. M'COOEY,
Member Linnean Society

NATIVE DOGS AND THEIR NATURAL ENEMIES.
Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW)
Date: November 19, 1886
Page Number: 3

H. J. M'COOEY,
Member Linnean Society
Member Field Naturalist's Club of Victoria

The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: January 28, 1887
Page Number: 7

MR. H. J. M'COOEY forwards for publication a copy of a letter addressed by him to the president of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, having reference to an interesting discovery recently made by him in the Blayney district in connection wiith Shaw's long necked tortoise (Chelodina longicollis).

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The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: February 14, 1887
Page Number: 8

Snakes.
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: March 1, 1887
Page Number: 8

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Mr. Bray is mistaken in thinking that it is only the "new chum" who fails to distinguish between venomous and non-venomous snakes. Being myself a native of this colony, I regret to say that ninety-nine one-hundredths of Australian natives do not possess the merest rudimentary knowledge of Australian natural science.

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March 2, 1887 - SNAKES.

March 5, 1887 - SNAKES AND NATURAL HISTORY.

The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: March 8, 1887
Page Number: 8

Snakes.
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: March 11, 1887
Page Number: 9

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In my last letter on this subject I stated—and regretted the fact while stating it—that "99-100ths of Australian natives do not possess the merest rudimentary knowledge of Australian natural science," and I am prepared, if necessary, to support and confirm that statement with 50 arguments. It is the exception, not the rule to meet with bushmen possessed, or desirous of possessing, any of the sublime and enchanting truths of natural science. The bushman regards the man of science and his researces and labours with a mixture of contemptuous pity and imbecile wonder. He cares not to know that some new and unique genus or species of bird, mammal, insect, reptile, or fish, has been discovered and catalogued and wonders why scientific men should waste time in researches which to him seem barren of interest, trifling, and unprofitable. The Australian bushman is not and is never likely to be, a scientific discovorer. Every discovery in natural science in Australia has been made by scientific men, and members of learned scientific societies, not by bushmen, and every such discovery has tended, not to confirm, but to absolutely refute and capsize the wild, exaggerated fables and untenable and irrational theories to which bushmen cling with dogged tenacity and firm and unwavering faith.

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Mr. Bray admits that bushmen cannot go into zoology scientifically but what is the good of any knowledge or information on this or kindred subjects if it be not scientific and reliable? So far as scientific knowledge is concerned, the bushman of to-day is no better informed than the bushman of 40 years ago. The typical bushman prefers, in zoology, the mythical, mysterious, or fabulous to the stern and simple realities or clear and relentless truths which science unfolds.

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March 18, 1887 - SNAKES AND NATURAL HISTORY.

In referring to Mr. M'Cooey's valuable contributions re the above subject, in your journal, allow me first to acknowledge the great pleasure I have experienced in perusal of his letters; secondly, to remark that he is evidently the right stamp of a scientific gentleman.
Had we a fow more of his kind among the professed scientific votaries, to the cause of natural history, much that is, and has ever been a sealed letter or secret, would ere this have found its way amongst the general public, who—no one more than myself knows—yearn to learn of the wonders that the Creator has so lavishly strewn throughout the length and breadth of this land in the animal, bird, insect, and reptile life peculiar to Australia.

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     Mr. M'Cooey says that every discovery in natural science in Australia has been made only by scientific men. I think that the greater truth would be to put it this way—many of the discoveries have been named and described by scientific men.
    It must not be thought for a moment that I have no reverence for scientific men, or do not value scientific description. I have suffered much cruel and unmanly treatment on this score, and will not say anything further other than that we people of Sydney can boast of some indefatigable and learned scientists, but they seem to live within themselves and so jealously guard their surroundings, that, do what one will, entrance within the circle, to any man of spirit, is simply impossible.
     I contend, and have contended for years' past, both by my writings, &c., that science should not be made unenticing.

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Mr. M'Cooey's idea seems to be that unless information on natural history researches is given in a scientific manner it would be unreliable. Surely he cannot mean that ? By all means let the record be of a scientific character, but allow those unlearned in science to educate themselves by reading researches in a popular form.

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JAMES S. BRAY.

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March 31, 1887 - SNAKES AND NATURAL HISTORY.

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Mr. M'Cooey says the Australian bushman ia not and is never likely to be, a scientific discoverer. I beg to differ entirely from this statement. The bushmen have discovered, what at joust one member of a learned society has not, namely—that the young of the kangaroo and opossum are not born, but germinate on the teat. Again, Mr. M'Cooey says the bushmen still fly in the face of scientific men in believing this. How, may I ask, can bushmen do otherwise with the plain and simple evidence before their eyes ? When this discussion was warm some 15 years ago, I formed one of a party of bushmen at work on the River Darling. Each man took the subject up. The evidence was at hand to prove which theory was right and which wrong by actual observation. We proved to our own satisfaction that the young of the opossum were not born, but germinated on the teat.

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In my 13 years experience of bush life I have never heard of any bushman holding the belief that the death adder had a sting.

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Bray, James Samuel (1840–1918)

James S Bray stood for election as Alderman of Manly Council in 1908, but was unsuccessful. He was museum curator at St John's College, University of Sydney and published articles on natural history in the Sydney Morning Herald. He was later proprietor of Bray's Museum of Curios, Queens Place, Sydney. He was the chief correspondence clerk, New South Wales Telegraph Department for eight years; secretary and actuary, International Life Association; museum curator, St John's College, University of Sydney; and published articles on wild life, including on the Manly Wildflower Shows, in the Sydney Morning Herald.

In 1887 he publishedIllustrations of ethnology : with description of specimens from New Guinea (British & German portions), Admiralty Islands, New Ireland, Duke of York Island, New Britain, Solomon Islands, New Hebrides, Samoan Islands, New Caledonia, Fiji, Northern Australia &c

SOURCE

IGUANAS.—ALLEGED DISCOVERY IN NATURAL HISTORY.
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: May 11, 1887
Page Number: 11

The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: June 10, 1887
Page Number: 8

AUSTRALIAN BIRDS—THEIR WANTON AND RUTHLESS DESTRUCTION.
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: July 4, 1887
Page Number: 4

I purpose, with your kind permission, to draw public attention to the wanton and ruthless manner in which our native birds are being destroyed, and to the inconsistency and absolute inefficacy of our Game Act.

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AUSTRALIAN BIRDS - THEIR WANTON
AND RUTHLESS DESTRUCTION.
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: July 30, 1887
Page Number: 14

The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW)
Date: March 10, 1888
Page Number: 15

A VIRULENT SPIDER.
The Carcoar Chronicle (NSW)
Date: December 10, 1887
Page Number: 2