228 Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. [ j^^'"('^r,_ 



secretary explaining that the Union's hon. sohcitors had advised 

 that the notices were irregular. 



The balance-sheet and the hon. secretary's report were un- 

 animously adopted. 



It was resolved, on Mr. A. J. Campbell's motion, that the 

 annual meeting desires that the Council of the Union should 

 approach the Commonwealth Government and request it to 

 investigate the industry of boiling down Penguins for their oil on 

 Macquarie Island, in case of decrease of its wonderful feathered 

 inhabitants. 



A letter was read from Mr. Basset Hull, Sydney, thanking the 

 Union for the honour they had done him in electing him president 

 of the Union for the ensuing year. 



A letter was read from Captain S. A. White, Adelaide, stating 

 that the new Act for the further protection of bird-life has been 

 thrown out this session by Parliament, but that it was decided to 

 bring it up again next year, and that there was every chance of 

 its passing. 



Much appreciation was expressed at the work that Captain 

 White was carrying on in South Australia, especially by lecturing 

 on behalf of the insectivorous birds of the State, and the way 

 in which he had worked to try and get the new Bird Protection 

 Bill through Parliament. 



The chairman. Colonel G. Home, congratulated the Union on 

 the increase of its membership during the past year and the 

 satisfactory way in which the affairs of the Union had been con- 

 ducted generally. He considered that the papers published in 

 The Emu still maintained their high character and usefulness, 

 and it was largely due to that that the number of members was 

 steadily increasing. 



Mr. A. C. Stone read an interesting report on the ringing of 

 Mutton-Birds and White-faced Storm Petrels, and also a report 

 on the egg collection belonging to the Union. 



Mr. Alexander read a report on the Union's library, and stated 

 that the first volume of Beebe's " Monograph on the Pheasant " 

 had been received for review in The Emu from the publishers, 

 Messrs. Witherby and Co. 



The subject of authors' reprints was also discussed. 



Mr. Alexander read an instructive article entitled " What are 

 Australian Seas ? " illustrating his points with lantern views, 

 and the rather difficult subject was discussed. The balance of 

 opinion seemed in favour of calling all seas that were nearer to 

 the coast of Australia than any other as belonging to this country, 

 and that Petrels and other birds found in those parts could be 

 counted as AustraHan. 



Mr. G. Hill showed thirty interesting lantern slides of views 

 which he had taken in North-West Kimberley and Northern 

 Territory. The views were selected with the object of showing 

 the class of country in which certain birds were to be found, to 

 enable one to make a comparison of the geological, floral, and avi- 



